A Fatal Slip (15 page)

I took a deep breath, then said, “His arrest was less than a month after Winnie died. Don’t tell me you never linked the two events together.”

He was crying, but the funny thing about it was, it didn’t stop him from carrying on our conversation. It was almost as if the tears had become a steady, reliable thing for him. “No, I never made that connection, but then I was in no condition to notice much of anything after Winnie died.”

“I’m sorry this is so painful for you.”

“Then why bring it up? What good can come of it now? They’re both dead, and nothing I can do will bring Winnie back.”

I couldn’t believe his reaction. “Still, don’t you want to know what really happened to her?”

He stood and grabbed the table in front of me with both hands. The fire in his eyes made me pull away from him. “I’ve been living my entire life in the past since I lost my wife. It has to stop. There has to be peace somewhere, or I’m lost.”

He turned his back on me and walked to his car.

Like an idiot, I followed him. “Nate, you can’t run away from this.”

“Watch me,” he said as he got in and drove off.

The back door opened, and Ashley, the young woman Nate had promised to train, came out. “Was that a car? Where did Nate go?”

“I have no idea,” I answered honestly.

“If he doesn’t care about the shop, then I don’t, either. I quit.”

“That’s certainly the dramatic way to handle it, but wouldn’t it be better if you went back inside and at least tried?”

“I do need the money,” she said, “but I’m not sure I need it this badly.”

“Nate’s a good guy,” I said, despite the way he’d reacted to my statement. “Give him a chance. Do the best you can.”

“I guess I should,” she said. “Are you coming back in?”

“Not just yet.”

I walked around to the front of the coffee shop and decided to wait for Hannah outside. Something kept swirling in my mind as I stood there in the cool morning air. Nate hadn’t looked all that surprised when I’d told him about Charlie’s arrest for drunk driving. Had he put it together himself earlier? More important, had he extracted his own brand of justice and drowned Charlie Cobb in a bucket of clay slip in back of my shop? If anyone had asked me a month before whether Nate was capable of murder, I would have laughed in their faces. Now, I wasn’t sure what I thought.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I looked up to find Hannah standing there. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Were you lost in thoughts of an endless summer?”

“I wish it were something that easy,” I said.

“Let’s go in and get some coffee, and you can tell me all about it. I’m dying for a cup.”

I thought about steering her somewhere else. The last thing I wanted was to run into Nate again, but judging from the way he’d driven away, I doubted he’d be back anytime soon.

Ashley was at the register when we walked in. “I’m proud of you,” I said as she offered to take our orders.

“It’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” she said. “Kevin gave me a rundown on how to work the register.”

I looked at one of the workers in back, a tall, lanky young man with a mop of black hair who was obviously smitten with young Ashley. “Why isn’t he running the register himself ?”

“Because he’s the only one here who knows how to make all of the different drinks. Don’t worry, I can do it.”

We ordered, and Ashley slowly entered our choices into her register. “That’ll be forty-five dollars and thirteen cents.”

Hannah said, “Hang on a second. We don’t want to buy a round for the house.”

“Try again, Ashley,” I said softly.

“Oh, dear, I did it again.” Without voiding the erroneous amount, she hit a button and the sale cycled through the system. She hit a few more register keys, then with a look of triumph on her face, she said, “Yeah, that was high before, wasn’t it? Is ninety-eight cents any better?”

Hannah rolled her eyes and started to say something when I slipped four ones across the counter. “This is what we normally pay,” I said in a soft voice.

“Thanks,” she said as she put the money in the till. After she told the young man what we wanted, Ashley smiled at me. “Like I said, I really think I’m getting the hang of this.”

“You’re doing great,” I said.

As Hannah and I moved down the line, she asked, “Do you know that girl?”

“Actually, we just met,” I said. “Take it easy on her, it’s her first day.”

“Then I question the wisdom of putting her on the register, don’t you?” At least Hannah kept her voice low enough so that Ashley couldn’t hear her.

“It’s a long story. Why don’t you go sit down and I’ll bring our coffees when they’re ready.”

Kevin brought me our order a minute later, and I said, “You’d better keep an eye on her.”

“I am,” he said with a grin.

“I don’t mean her figure. I’m talking about her math skills. Maybe you should take over the register, too, at least until she gets the basics down.”

“Maybe you’re right,” he said. “I just don’t want to hurt her feelings.”

“I may be wrong, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

I walked over to the table where Hannah sat, and slid her coffee over to her. “There, that wasn’t bad, was it?”

“I’m just wondering what kind of brew we’re getting, if that register experience is any indication.”

“It should be fine,” I said, and meant it, too, as long as Ashley hadn’t made the coffee. Balancing the report at the end of her shift was going to be a nightmare, but it wasn’t going to be mine. Nate deserved it, after taking off the way he had.

Hannah took a sip, then smiled. “You’re right. This is wonderful. So tell me, Carolyn, how do you happen to know that unfortunate girl behind the counter? Don’t tell me she’s a potter.”

“I told you, I never laid eyes on her until today,” I said.

“My, you make friends fast.”

“I was in here before you came,” I admitted.

“Couldn’t wait to get that first jolt of caffeine? I have days like that myself.”

I looked around the room, but nobody was paying particular attention to us. “I didn’t come by for the coffee. I had to speak to Nate.”

“Well, don’t leave me hanging in the air. What did you talk to him about? It must have been serious, if that look on your face is any indication.”

“I told him Charlie Cobb may have been the one who killed his wife,” I said softly.

Hannah nearly choked on her coffee. “You what? Carolyn, please tell me you’re kidding.”

“I’m not. Sandy did some digging and came up with a DUI arrest for Charlie about the time Winnie was killed. They never found the driver of that hit-and-run, did they? Think about it. Maple Ridge isn’t all that big, and you know how I feel about coincidences.”

“They happen in real life, and you know it. How did he react? Why am I even asking? He must have went ballistic when you told him.”

“That’s the funny thing. I got the feeling he already knew.”

Hannah took that in, then said, “So, you think he killed Charlie in a fit of rage and revenge, is that it? Can you honestly see Nate killing him in cold blood like that?”

I took a sip of my coffee. “If you’d asked me that earlier, I wouldn’t have believed it, but you didn’t see his face when I told him. I was worried about my own safety for a minute there.”

“What do you do now?”

“I guess I need to talk to the sheriff,” I said. “Whether he likes it or not, he needs to hear about the possible connection between the two men.”

“All you have is a veiled reference to the past. It’s not much to accuse a man of murder with, is it?”

I finished off my coffee. “Do you think I should keep digging into this before I talk to Hodges?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. We’re a little out of my realm of expertise.” Hannah paused a second, then added, “Yours, too.”

“I know you think I’m being nosy, but the man was murdered in back of my shop, with something of mine. We won’t even discuss the fact that the sheriff is sure my husband did it. I can’t just let it go.”

“I realize that. Just don’t let David get involved if you can help it.”

We were heading on to that unsure ground, so I had to watch what I said. “How is your son? Will he be at work today?”

Hannah frowned as she finished her coffee. “I tried to convince him that he needed more rest, but he’s raring to go. After he finishes his shift, he wants to go car shopping. Can you believe that? If I’d had a wreck like that, it would take me weeks to get behind the wheel again.”

“Maybe he wants to get back on the horse that threw him before he loses his nerve.”

She nodded. “You’re probably right. That car of his wasn’t worth much, so we’re probably not even going to bother filing a claim with the insurance company. I’ll find something good for him around town.”

“You should talk to Butch Hardcastle,” I said as we both got up from our table and threw our cups away. “He knows how to get some good deals.”

“If it’s all the same to you, I’d just as soon get something that wasn’t stolen,” Hannah said. She wasn’t Butch’s biggest fan, but I was.

“He’s a good guy, Hannah. You need to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

“Let’s just say I’m reserving my judgment.” We were outside in front of the coffee shop, and Hannah added, “I’m going to be late. My teaching assistant is going through some kind of personal crisis, and I’m picking up the slack.”

“You have a bigger heart than you’d like to admit,” I said.

“Don’t let that get out at Travers, or I’ll never be able to look my fellow professors in the eye.”

I strolled to Fire at Will along the River Walk, enjoying the quiet nature of the morning before I’d have to face the inundation of tourists. Our season was definitely in full swing, and I was happy to be busy, for so many reasons. The income would help ease my anxiety about taking the building on as my own, and the distractions offered by vacationing families painting pottery would fill my days. I’d still find time to do a little digging, but even if I didn’t, I had the Firing Squad working on Charlie Cobb’s murder for me.

Apparently more than I realized.

Martha Knotts was waiting for me when I got to Fire at Will. She was a petite young woman with sparkling eyes, and every time I saw her, I was amazed that she had five children at home.

I smiled at her as I unlocked the door. “Good morning. You’re out awfully early, aren’t you?”

“I had an aerobics class this morning, and my dear husband agreed to stay with the kids until I get back.” She grinned impishly. “Now I’m shamelessly taking advantage of him.”

“Good for you,” I said. “Would you like to come in?”

“No, I’d really better get back home. I just wanted to tell you something I heard in class today.”

I knew Martha had the best connections and networking web across town with her activities schedule. Between the children and her own varied interests, Martha was a one-woman grapevine. “Go on, I’m listening.”

She glanced toward Rose Colored Glasses. “Rose Nygren just lost a boyfriend, and she’s been taking it pretty hard.”

“I know. She’s been crying on my shoulder.”

Martha looked a little disappointed that I’d already heard the news. “Did you know who she was dating?”

“No, I haven’t been able to get that out of her yet,” I admitted. “Why, do you know?”

“That’s what makes it so interesting. My source wasn’t sure, but she had it narrowed down to one of two men. Charlie Cobb made the short list,” she said triumphantly.

That confirmed my own recent suspicions. “So that implies that she might have had something to do with what happened to him,” I said.

“Maybe, but there’s something else. Do you want to know who the other candidate is?”

“You’ve certainly got my attention.”

Martha smiled slightly. “His brother, Rick. He owns the Thirsty Swan.”

“We’ve met,” I said.

Martha added, “My friend says there’s another twist to this, but I’m not sure if it’s true.”

“When has that ever stopped us from talking about it before?” I asked. “Sometimes we have to sort through the fantasy to get to the fact.”

Martha nodded. “For what it’s worth, my friend seems to think that Rose may have been dating them both at the same time. When the brothers found out what she was up to, they both dumped her. I thought it was motive enough for murder, either for Rose or Rick, so I came straight to you.”

“Thanks. Let me see what I can uncover,” I said.

“Keep me in the loop, okay? Inquiring minds and all that,” Martha said, smiling as she left.

As I got ready to open the shop for business, I thought about what Martha had told me. Could Rose Nygren really have been dating two men at the same time? Anything was possible. The older I got, the more I realized that. In matters of the heart, we never seemed to gain much wisdom, and there weren’t many actions more foolhardy than dating brothers in such a small town and trying to keep it a secret.

But at this point, it was just a rumor, and I was going to treat it as such until I found proof one way or the other. Still, if it were true, would it have been enough to lead her to murder? And if so, why did she kill Charlie, especially when his brother, Rick, was such a nastier customer? I was still puttering around the shop, not getting much of anything done, when David walked in.

“Good morning,” he said. The bandage on his cheek was smaller today, further proof that he was starting to heal.

“Morning,” I replied. I glanced out the window and saw Rose opening her shop. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’m fine, thank you. And you?”

I looked at David and saw him smiling. “Sorry, I’m a little distracted. How are you feeling today?”

He flexed his arms. “The stiffness is almost gone. I’m ready to tackle the world again.” His fingers gingerly touched the bandage on his face. “I was able to change this down to a manageable size, too.”