Thirty-Four and a Half Predicaments: Rose Gardner Mystery #7 (24 page)

“Well, I’m not gonna listen to another fool word about any of this.” She grabbed her coat and stomped out, leaving me gaping at the front door as it slammed behind her.

I considered going after her, but I’d never seen her like this before. Mason always needed to get away for a bit after we had a fight. If Neely Kate were the same way, I’d only make it worse if I followed her now.

“How’s she doin’?” Joe asked quietly.

“I honestly don’t know. I thought it was a good idea to get her out of the house and get her mind off her troubles, but now I’m not so sure.”

“I’m sure it’s not easy for her.” Joe’s gaze stayed on me. “How are you dealin’ with this?” He gestured toward the journal.

I took a breath. “The truth is, I don’t know. I was upset at first, but Neely Kate is so insistent Dora didn’t have an affair with Henry. Part of the reason is that she doesn’t want me to get hurt, but my gut tells me she might be right.”

“What if Dora
did
have another affair? If Harrison Gardner isn’t your birth father?”

I shrugged. “In the scheme of things, I’m not sure that it matters. It doesn’t change a thing.” Yet it changed everything.

“Well, I agree with Neely Kate not to jump to conclusions. But if you really want the truth, I encourage you to also keep an open mind.”

“So you’re okay with us asking questions?” I gave him a leery look.

He grinned. “Don’t look so surprised. It sounds like a domestic dispute that turned tragic, but you should always be careful when you’re pokin’ at a hornet’s nest with a stick. This may have happened twenty-five years ago, but you’re liable to tick off a few people, especially the man’s widow if she’s is still alive.”

My mouth dropped open. “You’re giving me your blessing to investigate this case?”

He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his legs. “Rose, I know you think Dora was murdered, but there’s no reason to think that except rumor and speculation. Henry’s wife had just as much cause to do Dora harm as your momma did. One suspect is dead and the other is probably walking around with a cane. I think it’s safe for you to do a little digging. But let me ask you this.” He paused and made sure he had my attention. “Do you ever remember your mother putterin’ around with cars?”

“Well…no…”

“And this might be sexist of me to say, but there’s a good chance Henry’s wife couldn’t tell the difference between a radiator hose and a brake line.”

He had a point. I was pretty certain I couldn’t find the brake line in my truck if my life depended on it.

“Nowadays anyone could look that type of thing up on the Internet, but back then, either one of them would have had to ask someone…and that someone would probably have told the Henryetta police.”

I sighed. What he said made sense.

“Rose.” He covered my hand with his and said, “I suspect your birth mother died in an unfortunate accident. But from what you just told me, the real question might be who your birth father really is.”

I nodded, blinking to ease the burning in my eyes. He was only confirming my own thoughts.

“Are you sure you’re ready to face that?”

I stared into the eyes of the man I used to love. Everything we had built together was destroyed because of the things neither one of us were ready to face. I was tired of running from the truth, no matter how difficult it was to face. “Yes.”

He nodded, looking serious. “If you need help with anything—unofficially, of course—just let me know.”

“Thank you.”

He removed his hand and grinned. “But there’s actually a purpose to my visit.”

“You’re not here to harass me?” I teased.

“Oh, that’s always fun too, but this time was just a bonus. After I delivered the bad news to Mason that he’s sequestered to the courthouse during workin’ hours, he asked me to run an errand for him.” He reached into his pocket and set a small black plastic box on the table. “This is your new frontline self-defense.”

“You got me a Taser?” I asked, staring at it.

“Now don’t you go lookin’ all surprised.” He laughed. “Lord knows you need it with all the trouble you get into, Mick Gentry aside.” He reached into his other pocket and pulled out a pink box, which he set beside the other. “I got one for Neely Kate too.”

“Pink.” I laughed.

He shrugged, still grinning. “Pink seemed to suit her better.”

I studied him for a moment. “Why are you so nice to her when she’s so mean to you most of the time?”

He hesitated before looking into my eyes. “Because she’s probably the best friend a person can have and I’m grateful she’s yours.” He lifted his shoulder into a half shrug. “She thinks I left you high and dry to run for office. If she’s any friend at all, I would hope she’d hold it over my head.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “No. Don’t be. I can handle it.” He glanced back at the front door. “Besides, I’d take her feisty any day compared to this.”

“Me too.”

“Let me give you a quick lesson before I go. It won’t do you any good if you don’t know how to use it.” He spent several minutes showing me how to load the barb cartridges, how to recharge it, and most importantly, how to use it to defend myself.

He handed it to me and made me repeat everything he’d said.

“Do you feel ready to use it?”

I took a deep breath, looking at the weapon in my hand. “I guess.” I offered him a smile. “Thanks for getting it for me. And for the lesson.”

He stood. “Well, I better go.” He gestured toward the journal. “And if you need any advice about where to go next with your investigation, let me know.”

I shook my head with amazement.

He lowered his gaze to mine. “I’m only givin’ you my blessing because it’s not an ongoing investigation and you’re only talking to people.” He reconsidered. “You
are
only talking to people?”

“Of course,” I said. “What else would we be doin’?”

He shook his head and headed for the door. “I don’t
even
want to know.”

“Hey, Joe.”

He looked back at me.

“I’m really sorry about last night. I’m just worried…and you’ve blown off my visions before.”

Moving back toward me, he lightly gripped my upper arms. “I’m not blowing it off, Rose. I promise.” He hesitated. “There’s just a lot you don’t know about what’s goin’ on. A lot Mason and I can’t tell you. I need you to trust me. Can you do that?”

I looked into his eyes. “Yes, I trust you.” And I found myself surprised to realize that it was true.

The door opened and Neely Kate came back in with a sheepish look that turned to confusion when she saw us.

Joe dropped his arms and headed back toward the door. “I left you a present on the table. All I ask is that you don’t go usin’ it on any ol’ person who irritates you. Use it judiciously.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll see.” He reached for the door, but she put her hand on his arm and stopped him.

“Joe.” She looked down at her feet, then up into his face. “About that day.”

He shook his head. “You don’t have to say another word, Neely Kate.”

“But I do.” She licked her bottom lip. “Thank you.” Tears filled her eyes. “The doctor told me you probably saved my life.”

He shook his head again, his cheeks turning pink. “It was nothing.”

“No,” she insisted. “It was something. You could have waited for the ambulance, but you didn’t. And after everything I’ve said and done—”

He grinned, but his eyes were glistening with tears. “I wouldn’t change a thing, Neely Kate. I’m glad you stuck up for Rose. I’m happy you were there for her when I wasn’t.” He paused. “Besides, I’m not sure how I’d handle you if you suddenly went soft on me. I need you to keep me on my toes.”

She threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Joe gave me a look of surprise as he hugged her back. “Now don’t you be scarin’ us like that again,” he said, gruffly. “I need you around to take care of my girl.” Then, no doubt realizing what he’d said, he dropped his hold on her and bolted out the door.

Neely Kate kept her gaze on the front door even after he’d gone past the windows. “He’s changed.”

“I know.” I just didn’t know what to make of it.

Neely Kate and I sat down to resume our search through the journal. But as she pulled up her chair, she stopped. “You never told me what happened last night after you left.”

I sucked in a breath. I wasn’t sure it was a good idea for Neely Kate to know the nitty gritty details. Especially after my private chat with Skeeter. It was probably better if I scaled it down to the essentials. “It was a boring business meeting. Nothing much happened except I had a vision.”

“Forced or accidental?”

She knew me too well. “Forced, but before you ask, it was my own decision.”

“And?”

I leaned closer and lowered my voice, although I wasn’t sure who else was gonna hear. “I had a vision of Mick Gentry. He was in a bar and he was telling the guy I had a vision of that he had a list of names to take out. Skeeter was the first one.”

She curled her upper lip. “Good riddance.”

Her words caught my breath, and I was surprised at the surge of loyalty I felt toward him. “He’s better than Daniel Crocker, and if Mick Gentry got control—” I shuddered, “—God help us all.”

“You’re defending him?”

“Neely Kate,” I said, harsher than I intended. “Gentry has a
list
. We knew all along he had it out for Skeeter, but consider who else is likely on there.”

Her eyes widened. “Mason. What are you gonna do?”

“I already told Mason.”

“You told him you had a vision of one of Skeeter Malcolm’s men?!”

“No! And keep your voice down!”

She looked around. “You think Muffy’s gonna tell anyone?”

“
Neely Kate
.”

“Okay,” she grumbled. “Sorry.”

“I told him I had a vision of some random man at the gas station on the way home from Bingo.”

“And he believed you?”

“Yeah. Then he called Joe and they had a fight, but Joe sent Deputy Miller out to watch the house and apparently he’s makin’ Mason stay in the courthouse during work hours.” I pointed to the Tasers, still on the table. “Mason wanted to get me a Taser today, but Joe wouldn’t let him out. So Joe got one for both of us; yours is the pink one. He said we probably need them anyway with everything we get into.”

Neely Kate picked hers up off the table. “This would have come in handy with Tabitha last month.”

“Tell me about it,” I groaned, remembering the tussle we’d gotten into with Neely Kate’s cousin’s best friend. “Joe gave us his blessing to investigate Dora.”

“You’re kidding?”

I grimaced. “Well, I didn’t tell him about the possible extortion scheme.”

“A good thing, since you can’t rightly tell him why we suspect it.”

“Then let’s see if I missed anything in Dora’s journal. Maybe it’ll give us an idea of what to do next.”

We bent over the book. Neely Kate flipped through pages, then stopped.

“Look at this.” Her voice dripped with satisfaction. “This entry talking about your father telling his wife she wants a divorce is dated October. She mentions Violet by name.”

I leaned over. “I remember reading this part while Mason and I were hiding from Daniel Crocker at the farm.”

“This proves Dora didn’t have an affair with Henry.”

I shook my head. “Not necessarily. This was in the fall. She didn’t mention Daddy in her journal the previous winter.”

Her gaze pinned mine. “Why are you so bound and determined to prove she was involved with Henry?”

“I’m just tryin’ to be objective.”

She rose from her chair in a huff. “I’m gonna go do some bookkeeping work. But I hope I don’t get seen talking to you about the books or someone might think we’re
havin’ an affair
.”

“Neely Kate…” I pleaded, but she ignored me and rolled her desk chair back to its usual place. She had tears in her eyes as she booted up her computer.

For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why she was so upset. I considered trying to talk to her, but decided to give her a little more time.

After I’d scanned more pages, I glanced up at my friend, who was intent on her work. “Neely Kate.”

Thankfully she seemed less upset when she turned to look at me.

“Would you come look at this and let me know what you think?”

She walked over and sat in the chair next to me. I opened the journal to the page that had caught my eye and handed it to her, pointing to the top left corner of the page. “Look at this random word.”

She leaned over the journal. “Bill.” It was scrawled in tiny letters, so small I hadn’t noticed it before.

I turned to her in excitement. “She mentioned a Bill earlier. She said he was worried things were going to go bad.”

She shook her head. “But why would she write his name at the top of the page like that?”

I flipped several pages ahead and found another word in the top left margin, written in that same tiny scrawl. “The.” I pointed to it. “Who randomly writes the word ‘the’?”

“I don’t know.”

I turned several more pages and found another word. “Proof.”