Bygone Days Page 7

  “Based on the conversation we’re having so far, I’m guessing you know why I’m here.”

  “You want to know if I killed Sam. Again.”

  “Did you try to kill Candace?” If he admitted that much, they had him.

  “Didn’t realize you’re friends.”

  She shrugged. “We’re neighbors.”

  “Ha! She won’t stay at the retirement community without Sam.”

  “The administrator won’t push her out. Occupancy tanked after Clarence was arrested for murder. Many families moved their loved ones to other locations. If Sam’s death is ruled a homicide, more residents will leave.”

  “We don’t need to play games. Sam’s death was ruled a homicide and after you and Pearl saw something that you can’t forget, you believe I’m guilty of murder.”

  A burly man entered the pharmacy then and Mack called out, “Be with you in a minute.”

  “Take your time,” he said in a husky voice.

  Mack lifted his chin and straightened his back. His small shoulders resembled bricks instead of bones. His demeanor changed. The brute intimidated Mack and he couldn’t hide it.

  “You should go.”

  “I’d like to know the truth.”

  “There are fates far worse than standing as the accused.” His eyes glassed over. “I loved a woman once and only once. If I’d drawn a weapon of any sort, I would’ve drawn it before she said her vows to a man who was lower than a snake’s belly. I didn’t stop a wedding or kill a man.” A few seconds passed as he seemingly thought of what to say next. “Want to know why?”

  “Sure.”

  “Because then I would’ve been the number one suspect.” He glanced at the brute. “If you’re smart, you’ll pay attention to the many warnings you’ve received. Learn to be more like me, Mary Louise. Live your life without interfering in someone else’s life. If you can’t do that, find a high bridge or a full bottle.”

  Mary Louise felt the brute’s burning gaze at her back. She mouthed, “If you’re in trouble, I can help you.”

  “Like you helped Oscar and Clarence?” He shook his head. “I’ll take my chances, neighbor. And until we can sell you something, don’t come back here.” He lowered his voice. “It’s for your own good.”

  Mary Louise reluctantly left the store and headed straight for Vintage Whispers. She felt sick to her stomach. Bridge and bottle? Was Mack contemplating suicide or had someone threatened him? Given the big guy’s appearance and the way he meandered around the pharmacy, he wasn’t there to buy pharmaceuticals, at least not drugs of the legal variety.

  She backed up a few paces and peered inside the pharmacy again. The stranger and Mack were at the dispensary door. What was he doing there? No one went behind the counter unless they worked for Mack. Not to pass judgment, but the brute didn’t look like he was there to work retail. The printed T-shirt and cutoff denim shorts made for a memorable impression.

  She passed the music store and met Deputy Thompson standing outside Vintage Whispers. The rookie placed his hands on his hips. “We’re in good shape here. Nothing exciting happened while you were gone.”

  “You’re at the wrong place. Call the sheriff. Something’s going on at Mack’s.”

  “No need to get excited. I’ll check it out.”

  “You should call Littleton first. He can advise you.”

  “My assignment today is to watch your store and keep you and your partners safe. If there’s other suspicious activity on the street, we’ll deal with it. Criminals have been known to strike twice in the same place.”

  “Yes, you’ve mentioned that.” If the deputy had wanted to reassure her, he’d failed. “I’m about to sound like a nosy neighbor but—”

  “Don’t worry about reputation when it’s a proven fact.” He looked embarrassed. “Sorry.” He twisted his lips. “You earned the pin for prowling a long time ago. Guess you know what others say about you.”

  “It always comes back around, yes.” She didn’t blame Thompson. She’d made her bed and didn’t care to get comfortable in it. At least they weren’t the kind of women who would soon be forgotten. Before she could say as much, shots rang out in repetition.

  “Stay here!” Thompson dashed down the sidewalk. “Call 9-1-1. Now!”

  She ducked into the alcove and frantically rummaged through her purse until she found her phone. By this time, the deputy was screaming into his radio: “We’ve got one down, possibly two. 522 Main Street. Send a bus!”

  “9-1-1. What’s your emergency?”

  Boom! Kaboom!

  “I think you may have spoken with Deputy Thompson, the officer on duty at Vintage Whispers?”

  “Yes, ma’am. What’s your emergency? Are you there now?”

  At a loss for words, she followed Thompson’s example. “Send a bus!” She had no idea what that meant but it sounded like a convoy or an ambulance. “Send two buses!” She considered the gravity of the unfolding situation. “Better yet, send a doggone train!”

  She grabbed the store handle that wasn’t there then scowled at the missing storefront. How could she protect herself when she couldn’t hide behind a locked door? She’d been so busy playing detective that she hadn’t thought to call for replacement glass.

  “Ma’am. Where are you? Can you clearly state your name and emergency?”

  Another round of explosive gunfire. Glass shattered in the distance. Threats resounded.

  “If you can’t hear the emergency then there’s a problem.”

  At that moment, the rookie reentered the store with his gun drawn. “I’ll cover you. Go!”

  This was more action than she’d experienced in a lifetime. While she was trembling from the adrenaline rush, she wasn’t exactly frightened.

  “Ma’am? Are you downtown now?”

  “Yes!” Hadn’t the rookie said that the guilty always returned to repeat their crimes? Where were the officers on duty? Where was Littleton?

  She frantically searched for something sturdy enough to serve as a bulletproof shield. Shots erupted once again. They were closer than before.

  “Sheriff Littleton is four minutes out. Can you find a safe place to wait?”

  “Sure. Any idea where that might be?”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Leave you alone for an hour and look at you.” Pearl shook her head. “I’m surprised you aren’t dressed in camo with coal circles encasing your eyes.”

  “I didn’t choose this.” Mary Louise pointed at the door. “Littleton sent over more officers. We need to see if someone can fix the door and windows as soon as possible.”

  “Done. Called Lomax before we heard what happened here.”

  “We should have a new storefront before 2020.” Pearl said, never cracking a smile. Lomax worked for Opal at one of her tiny house communities. He was thorough but slow.

  “Any idea what happened?”

  “I was at the pharmacy talking to Mack and a big guy entered. His demeanor changed. He tried to get rid of me. I left. A few minutes later, shots were fired.”

  “So you saw the killer!”

  “Pearl, please.”

  Sheriff Littleton was speaking with his deputies. He paused long enough to see if Pearl’s outburst was anything worth investigating. Mary Louise shook her head. He continued briefing the deputies.

  “What about the cops that were across the street?”

  “They were out to lunch. It was just me and the kid.”

  “He’s okay. He was wearing a vest,” Opal said.

  “How about Mack?” Mary Louise asked.

  “No sign of him.”

  “Not what I wanted to hear.”

  “The place is wrecked except for the empty shelves in the dispensary. Mack cleared out.”

  “I overheard someone mention that he has a private company that manages his surveillance. They should be able to find out if there’s any footage they can use.”

  “Had,” Opal said. “The security company pulled everything out a f
ew months ago.”

  “Convenient, huh?” Mary Louise wasn’t surprised.

  “I’ll say.”

  “Well, since we’re here, we might as well clean up the place.”

  “I don’t feel so well.”

  “That’s why we’ll do the work,” said Pearl. “Sit down and rest. Opal will bring you a nice cup of tea.”

  “I love how she volunteers me.” Opal hugged Mary Louise. “But I’m thankful I can make you a cup of tea.”

  “Me too,” Mary Louise said, appreciating the law enforcement officers on the scene. “I hate to think what might have happened if Deputy Thompson hadn’t been here.”

  “The police presence made a difference.”

  Opal rummaged through the cabinets. Seconds later, she filled the kettle and selected a small box of peppermint tea. “Why don’t you tell me what happened from the beginning?”

  “There’s nothing more to tell really. I saw Mack. He acted odd but he’s always been strange. I never noticed before because there wasn’t a reason to pay closer attention. Anyway, a big guy with a beard down to his collarbone entered the store. Mack seemed to know him. He made it clear that he wanted me to leave so I did. Seconds later, shots rang out. The gunfire seemed to go on and on.” She shook her head. “Are you sure no one was hurt?”

  “Want to walk over and take a look for yourself?” Littleton entered the breakroom. “I’d be happy to escort you if it’ll ease your mind.”

  “Thanks, but I’m okay.”

  “I hate to do this to you, but I need you to come down to the station and answer some more questions.”

  “Why can’t you ask them here?” Opal stood behind Mary. “She hasn’t done anything wrong.”

  “I told all of you to stay out of this. You refused. Now, I need you and Pearl to come with me. See if you can identify anyone in a lineup.”

  “Did you miss the part where someone shot up the pharmacy?” Opal rested her hands on her hips. “She isn’t going, Sheriff. And ya can’t make her. If she walks in that station now, she’ll be marked when she comes out.”

  Pearl stood beside Opal and mimicked her body language. “None of us are going anywhere. In case you haven’t noticed, someone sent us a very dangerous message and we got the memo. To avoid miscommunication in the future, we’re going home and staying there.”

  “If that’s truly your plan? I won’t stand in your way.” His forehead crinkled. “If you think you can ID the big guy, it would help us out…”

  “I can. He’s at least three hundred pounds, almond-colored hair and a beard down to his collarbone. Six-foot-five, maybe a tad taller.”

  “Age?”

  “Forty-five to fifty.”

  One of the detectives shook his head. “We’ve hauled in twelve so far and no one matches that description.”

  “All right then,” Littleton said. “Call if you think of anything else. Until then, try to get some rest. We’ll need you girls out here again tomorrow. Our guys will keep an eye on the place tonight.”

  “I can’t tell you what a relief that is.” Pearl smiled at the sheriff until he exited the breakroom. “I couldn’t tell him because it isn’t true.” She clucked. “As always, it’s just us.” She shrugged. “Maybe we’re the only people who can solve the crime. Maybe I’m supposed to use what I’ve recently learned in Hankerly’s mysteries. Ever think of that?”

  “No, Pearl. That thought never crossed my mind.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “What a day.” Mary Louise couldn’t wait to take a hot bath, drink a glass of wine, and fall into bed.

  “Ours wasn’t as exciting as yours.”

  “Oh I wouldn’t say that,” Pearl said, presenting Mary Louise with a ring box. “Guess who played poker today?’

  Mary Louise popped the top and stared down at the beautiful ring that had been in their store since the day they’d first opened. “Hope you won more than you lost.”

  “Shoot.” She waved her hand. “Don’t worry about it. We got the ring back. I didn’t know it was so valuable or I never would’ve donated it.”

  “Who won it?”

  “Romantic Rob.” Pearl frowned. “Why?”

  “She’s more interested in who lost it in the poker game.”

  “I can’t believe he outfoxed the smartest cat at the card table.”

  “I’ve been had.” Pearl groaned. “How?”

  Mary Louise laughed. “It was a priceless treasure but maybe I should’ve mentioned that it wasn’t worth the price we put on it.”

  “It isn’t valuable,” Opal explained.

  “Value is in the eye. It reminds me of my grandmother’s ring.”

  “If it was important to you, I would’ve gotten it back regardless of value.” She paused. “I probably wouldn’t have lost over forty bucks to do it but if it’s important to you, it’s important to me.”

  “Aren’t you girls just something?” A door slammed behind them and they all jumped.

  Opal and Pearl gasped. Mary Louise caught a glimpse of the gun before she saw the woman standing behind it.

  Candace eased away from the wall. “You’ve ruined everything.” She shook the gun at them. “You’re accustomed to sticking your noses where they don’t belong. I told Mack you’d be a problem but he wouldn’t listen.” She closed the distance between them.

  “What’s in your hand?”

  “It looks like a gun, Pearl.”

  “Move out of my way.” Pearl pushed Opal aside. “She won’t shoot us.”

  “If she does, I’d rather be the one to go.” Opal jumped in front of her. “You have grandchildren. Thanks to Catherine, they need all the help they can get.”

  “Not now, girls.” Mary Louise gauged the tension in the room. Pearl was wrong about Candace. She looked like she knew how to use a weapon. Her cold eyes were the dead giveaway. She wouldn’t mind to pull the trigger and take the kill.

  “Open your hand,” Pearl demanded.

  “It doesn’t matter what’s in that hand. There’s a gun in the other!”

  “She’s not as dumb as she looks.” Candace shot them an evil grin.

  “Why thank you. See there, girls. Even a killer can recognize their opposition with admiration.” She froze. “Oh no.”

  Candace lowered the gun but kept it parallel to her hips and aimed right at them. “You couldn’t leave well enough alone.”

  Mary Louise stuck her hands in her pockets. She gripped her phone and traced the keys with her fingertips. The last number dialed was 9-1-1. She hit send, hoping the operator on the other end would listen in lieu of asking a bunch of questions.

  “What’s in your pocket?” Candace jabbed the gun at Mary Louise. “Show me.”

  She slowly withdrew the phone, noticed the three digits on the screen and tossed it to the sofa. “We’re at Cozy Retirement! No bodies yet but send a bus!”

  Candace plucked the phone from the cushion and hit end. “That was stupid.”

  “Not if you’re standing on this side of the gun,” said Opal.

  Candace snarled and then opened her clenched fist. “The gun is the least of your worries.”

  Four brown vials rolled across the coffee table. She kept her weapon trained on them but pulled a syringe from her jacket pocket. “Who wants to die first?”

  ****

  Pearl used babbling as a means of distraction. Time wasn’t measured in seconds to count and minutes to waste but rather in how many moments they had remaining before one of them became Exhibit A. Candace wasn’t bluffing. She was a henchwoman with an agenda.

  “You’re such a coward,” Pearl said finally. “At least Hankerly’s perpetrators try to live after they kill someone.”

  “What are ya talking about?”

  “She has four vials. She’ll kill us and then herself.” Mary Louise narrowed her eyes on the table. That’s when something struck her. One of the tiny containers looked empty.

  “Now you’re seeing the whole picture,” Candace said proud
ly.

  “She’ll survive. There’s only enough to knock her out but not enough to kill her,” Mary Louise explained.

  She and Opal locked eyes and nodded at one another. They’d try to overpower her. There were three of them. They could do this.

  Prepared to duck, Mary Louise moved out of the line of fire. Opal took a step back, undoubtedly prepared to crawl behind the cherry television stand.

  Pearl collapsed on the sofa in an exaggerated swoon. “Whew. I’m glad that’s settled. I can handle a needle but a gunshot?” She picked at her sweater. “I’d never get the bloodstain out of this sweater.”

  “You think I won’t shoot you?” Raging fury shook her voice. “I would’ve been halfway around the world by now if it hadn’t been for you.” She paced. “You’ve cost me everything!” She spat her words as if they disgusted her. “I will kill you!”

  “That’s not advisable.” Sheriff Littleton nudged the door out of his way and entered with his gun drawn. “What’d I tell you about leaving your doors open at night?”

  “We buck authority,” said Pearl.

  “That’s what I was counting on,” he admitted, motioning for his deputies.

  They scattered as soon as they entered. Candace was surrounded. “Put the gun down, Candace.”

  “It’s never going to happen.” She shook her weapon at the officers before turning the gun on herself. “I’ll do it.”

  “If you’re that stupid, who are we to stop ya?”

  Pearl jumped sideways, tripped over her own feet, and landed on the ottoman.

  “Stay there,” Littleton said out of the corner of his mouth.

  “You don’t understand.” Candace played the victim. “If you understood, you wouldn’t do this.”

  “We’re listening,” Mary Louise said, thinking she’d help. “We know you were saddened by your husband’s death.”

  “Does she look sad to you?” Pearl remained still but her mouth didn’t stop moving. “And here I’d planned to read the poor guy’s eulogy. It was the least I could do after finding him with his hand in the dinner pail.”