Marja McGraw - Bogey Man 04 - Awkward Moments (18 page)

Chapter Thirty-four

I did as Chris asked and put my hair up in a forties hairstyle, and I changed into slacks. Most of my slacks were forties-style anyway, so that wasn’t an issue. This pair had wide legs and fit tight through the hips. My modern blouse would have to do.

Chris insisted on driving, saying he wished we had our green vintage Chevy with us. When we drove around town in Los Angeles, he drew a lot of attention if he wore his fedora. He looked the part of a 1940s private eye. For now the Jeep would have to do.

I looked back when we left the house. The dogs’ faces watched us from the window. They looked forlorn and left out of things, but they usually looked that way. They’d been left alone a lot on this trip
. It couldn’t be helped. We’d make it up to them.

The twenty minute drive into Serenity seemed like it took an hour. We were hyped up and ready for action.

“First stop, the grocery store,” Chris said. “I want to talk to Stu. As much as I like him, he’s still a suspect.”

“I like him, too, Dad. You don’t really think he did it, do you?” Mikey asked.

“No, I don’t. Not really. But we have to check out everyone. This whole town is one big sack of suspects.”

Mikey chuckled. “One big sack. Yeah.”

Chris parked midway between the grocery store and the Burnt Bun. While he sat and studied the store, Bill came around and opened the door for me and Mikey.

“Thanks, Bill.”

“My brother seems to be off somewhere. What’s he doing? Why isn’t he getting out of the car?”

“If I know him, he’s probably turning things over in his mind. He’ll be with us in a minute.” I took hold of Mikey’s hand and we waited for Chris to come to some kind of decision.

It didn’t take long. He climbed out of the Jeep and walked around the car to meet us. “I’ve got a plan. Follow my lead.” He headed for the store with us following.

Chris went straight to the aisle with batteries and picked up a four-pack of AA
’s. As long as we were there, I made him wait while I grabbed a loaf of wheat bread and a chocolate cake. Mikey smiled his approval.

At the checkout counter, Chris paid for our items. He gave Adele his most innocent look. “Is Stu around?”

“I’ll call him for you. Just a sec.” She picked up a microphone and called Stu’s name, adding he was needed at checkout.

“Thanks.” Chris stepped out of the way of another customer.

We saw Stu coming, and when he noticed us he waved.

“As long as we were in the store we thought we’d stop and say ‘hi’.” Chris held out his hand to shake. “Anything new going on?”

“Not a thing. People seem to be keeping to themselves.” He looked Chris up and down. “Nice suit.”

“The angel and I thought we’d give people a taste of
nostalgia. Maybe sometime you’ll come to Los Angeles and visit our restaurant. You’ll feel like you’re back in the 1940s.”

“I just might take you up on that.”

“Say, have you got a shiv?” Chris fingered the package of batteries.

It only took a moment to figure out where he was headed.

Stu looked blank.

“Do you have a pocket knife?” I figured I’d better translate. “I think Chris wants to open the batteries.”

Stu turned to Adele and asked for a pair of scissors before turning back to Chris.

“I only carry a box cutter, and I left it in the back.
I’ve never carried a pocket knife.” He held the scissors out to Chris. “Here.”

“You know what? Never mind. If I open them I’ll probably spill them before we get home. Thanks, anyway.”

I glanced at Bill and he winked at me, so I knew he’d caught on, too.

Mikey tugged on my arm. “I’m getting hungry, Mom. Are we going to the Burnt Bun pretty soon?” Bless his heart, Mikey kn
ew we needed to move on and he provided us with a reason to say good-bye to Stu, not that we really needed to explain ourselves. On the other hand, maybe he wasn’t as smart as I thought and he was simply a very hungry little boy.

“Yes. We’re going right now.” I took his hand and we walked outside, waving to Stu.

“Don’t take any wooden nickels,” Mikey called out.

Stu grinned and waved back.

Chris and Bill nodded to Stu, the manly way of saying adieux, and followed us outside.

Sometimes men seemed to need few words, but they were
n’t as strong and silent as they thought they were. Chris could talk my ear off when he wanted to.

“I really am hungry, Mom. That wasn’t just
an excuse to blow the store.”

“I know, Son. We’re going to get some lunch right now.” I turned in the direction of the Burnt Bun, anticipating some of Joe’s great cooking.

Chris and Bill followed us, and when they started talking to each other in quiet voices, Mikey let go of my hand and stopped, waiting for the men to catch up to him. He was probably afraid he was missing something.

I rolled my eyes and kept walking, soon entering the
diner. Essie saw me and looked past me to see if I was alone.

“They’re right behind me,” I said. “There are four of us.”

“Sit anywhere you’d like.” She looked tired and didn’t sound like her normal perky self.

I sat down at a table by the window. Most of the lunch crowd had already left.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

Surprising me, Essie sat on a chair across from me. “Not really. But I’ll get over it.”

“Charlie?”

“Yeah, I miss the old fart. Joe and I spent a lot of time with him. He was a quiet guy, but when the three of us were alone he’d open up, and he could be very funny when he wanted to be. I’ll miss his sense of humor. I feel like someone came along with a pin and burst my favorite balloon.”

“I’m sorry, Essie. I really am. How’s Joe taking it?”

She sighed. “
Like anyone would who’s just lost their best friend. He’s depressed and even quieter than usual.”

Hearing the door open, I turned to see the men in my life coming inside.

Essie stood and absently patted her hair. “I’ll get some menus.”

Chris saw me and they headed my way, sitting at the table.

“Essie went to get menus,” I said.

Bill nodded. “So what did you think, Pamela? Do you think Stu was telling the truth about not carrying a pocket knife?”

“Actually, I believed him. So far it seems like he’s been a straight shooter with us. You know, I sure would like to meet his wife. I know he’s married, but it seems like she’s never around.”

“Maybe she works or something,” Chris said
. “Stu seems honest, but you and I both know what things look like and what they are in reality can be very different. Just because he says he doesn’t carry a shiv doesn’t mean anything.”

I saw Essie returning with menus. “Put on your Bogey face, sweetie. Time to go into your act.”

Bill raised his eyebrows before turning his attention to Essie.

She placed the menus in front of us. “The special today is fish and chips. The cod is good, so you might want to think about it.
Nice suit. Are you going to a wedding or something?” She sighed. “I’ll be back.” Her voice was almost a monotone, but not quite. She was trying to be pleasant, but her smile was half-hearted. She walked away with her shoulders slumped before Chris could turn on the charm.

I hadn’t realized she and Joe and Charlie were such good friends
until today.

The door opened and a familiar voice said, “Well, there’s
a table full of trouble if I ever saw one.”

Chris’s shoulders tightened and so did his lips.

Chapter Thirty-five

Tony Hellman approached our table.
He looked and sounded sober – two things in his favor – and he looked embarrassed. I waited to see what he wanted.

“Just joking
about you guys being trouble. I’m really glad to see you.” He turned to me. “I’d like to apologize for my behavior the other day. I was feelin’ kinda bad about Charlie and took to the bottle. That’s my one big fault, you know. Drinking, that is. I’ve been sober ever since I came out to your place, with a little help from the cops. They locked me up for a while. Prob’ly the best thing for me.”

I looked him in the eyes. “Are you really sorry or is that just lip service. You upset me and my son.”

“I truly am sorry, ma’am. I just don’t know what got into me.”

“I do,” Chris said, standing. “Booze. Don’t you come near our place…” He stopped talking and sat down.
I noticed his gaze fall on the package of batteries. “Don’t bother my wife and son again.”

Bill picked up the package and held
it out to Tony. “You got a pocket knife?”

Tony nodded and pulled a knife out of his pocket. “Sure.”

“You know what? Never mind. If I open these I’ll probably spill them before we get home.” He borrowed Chris’s line so he wouldn’t have to open the package. Once opened, we couldn’t use the batteries as an excuse to ask for a knife again.

“Interesting suit, Cross. Are ya going to a
costume party?” He laughed like he’d told a joke.

Essie approached us with menus in
one hand and a tray with glasses of water in the other. She stood toe to toe with Tony and got right in his face. “What’re you doin’ here, Tony? You know you’re not welcome.”

“I was just leaving.”

“Well, don’t drag your feet and don’t let the door hit you on the backside on your way out.” She turned and placed water and menus in front of us.

Tony looked at me. “Anyway, I really am sorry. I won’t bother you again.” He walked out the door.

“I think the only reason he stopped in was because he saw us through the window.” I watched him cross the street. “At least he apologized.”

“Yeah.” Chris still didn’t look happy.

“I don’t trust that guy as far as I can throw him. I’ll be back for your orders.” Essie pursed her lips before walking to another table.

“That knife looked like it was brand new,” Bill said.

Mikey nodded. “It sure did. I saw that, too, Uncle Bill.”

“You’re sharp, Ace. I’ll give you that.”

My eight-year-old son grinned from ear to ear. “What now?”

“Order me a burger with everything. I’m going back
to the kitchen to talk to Joe.” Chris closed his menu and stood, pushing his chair back.

“Essie says he’s taking Charlie’s death hard, so be gentle with him.” I liked Joe and Essie. I knew they were as much suspects as everyone else, but I didn’t want Chris to upset him anymore than necessary.

Chris nodded before picking up the batteries and walking away from the table.

Essie returned and took our orders. I could smell the faint scent of onions and they smelled so good that I ordered onion rings to go with my BLT. I ordered Chris’s burger and listened while Bill and Mikey told her what they wanted.

Before she could walk away I reached out and touched her arm. “Essie, you know everyone in this town pretty well. Who did Charlie have problems with and who do you think might have killed him?”

She looked shocked, her eyes opening wide. “Well, you’re a no-nonsense kinda
gal, aren’t ya?”

“I’m sorry. I should have been more tactful, but I figure you’re in the best position to know what was going on. Did Charlie have any enemies?”

She sat in Chris’s vacated chair. “Believe me when I tell you I’ve thought and thought about this. The only person Charlie really had problems with was Tony. In fact, that bum was in here the day before Charlie was killed and they had an argument. They went outside so I didn’t hear what it was about, but I could hear them yellin’ at each other. Other than that, Charlie pretty much got along with everyone. He was one of the good guys.”

“You can’t think of
anyone
else he had problems with? I mean, most of us have at least a couple of people who don’t like us. There’s this lady at church…” I didn’t finish my thought, not wanting to think about Rosalyn Snyder. I got on her nerves and she got on mine.

“Well, there was a time when Charlie and Stu didn’t get along, but they sorted things out and they’ve been friends ever since.”

“Anyone else?”

“Nobody with a reason to kill Charlie.” Her voice rose when she said his name and she got tears in her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Essie, again. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

Bill and Mikey looked uncomfortable, but my son stood and put his little arm around the woman’s shoulder
s, patting her arm with his other hand. He had to stretch to do it, but he managed.

She lifted her face to look at the child who was trying to comfort her and patted his arm. “You’re a good boy.”

Mikey looked both uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Essie dried her eyes and tapped the pad she’d written our order
s on. “Guess I’d better give this to Joe.” She stood and gave my son a hug, giving him a half smile.

Mikey watched her walk away. “Gosh, Mom, I didn’t know what to do.”

“You did the right thing. I have a feeling she won’t forget you anytime soon.”

He sat down and took a drink of water.

Bill looked out the window and then at me. “You’ve raised your son right, Pamela. Ace makes me want kids of my own. I think Stephanie and I will have a talk when I get home.”

I smiled without replying.

Chris walked past Essie and returned to the table. “Joe didn’t have anything new to report. Essie was right though, he’s taking Charlie’s death pretty hard. He could hardly talk about it. Oh, and he said his pocket knife disappeared one day when he left it on the counter here at the diner. He said that was about two weeks ago. I got the feeling I was getting on his nerves.”

“Did you know Stu and Charlie used to have issues?” I wondered if Joe might have mentioned Stu.

“No. Who told you that?”

“Essie. She said they cleared the air a long time ago, and I don’t know what it was about.”

“That’s probably something we should find out about, don’t you think?” Bill was beginning to sound more like Chris all the time.

“Yeah, bro, that’s something we need to investigate. When Essie brings back the food I’ll pump her for more information.”

“Chris, go easy on her,” I said. “She’s pretty upset. Don’t make things worse.”

“Leave it to me,
babe.”

Essie returned with our orders before too long.

“Duchess, this burger looks good enough to eat.” I guessed Chris thought he could soften her up with small talk, and work his way up to more serious matters.

“I think you’ll like Joe’s burger. He’s got a secret ingredient he adds to the meat.” She watched while he took a first bite, chewed and swallowed.

“A secret ingredient? Come on, Cupcake, spill the beans. I’ll give ya a fin if you’ll flap your lips. This burger is about as jake as jake can be. I’m not trying to pull a fast one; our restaurant is in Los Angeles so we wouldn’t be competition.”

Essie looked at me. “I got part of that, but…”

“My cheapskate husband said he’d give you five dollars if you’d talk. The burger is about as good as it can be. Jake means good. He
really
wants to serve something like this on our lunch menu.” I took the burger out of Chris’s hand and took a bite. He was right. It was truly, truly jake.

“I don’t want your money. Let me talk to Joe and I’ll see what I can do.” Essie left the table chuckling to herself.
It was a pleasant sound after her tears.

I turned to Bill. “See? I told you the Bogey Man entertains people. Watch. She’ll be back with a big grin on her face and she’ll tell Chris what Joe
’s secret ingredient is.”

“I’ll bet you she doesn’t tell him.”

“I’ll take you up on that. What do you want to bet?”

He thought for a moment. “If she tells him the secret, I’ll wait on you and your family, hand and foot, for twenty-four hours.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“You’ll wait on me, of course.”

“I kinda do that already. Bet’s off.”

We heard loud voice
s coming from the kitchen and turned to see Essie making her way toward our table. She didn’t look happy.