A Killer Read (31 page)

Sally-Jo sighed.

“It’s a good lead,” Lizzie reassured her. “And at least we know now that the story is real. We’re closer to the truth than before.”

“Yeah, but there’s still so much to find out.”

“H
ow about we stop at the Rock Garden Cafe over there and have something to eat before heading home?” Lizzie asked as they drove slowly along the main street.

“I’m starving. Good idea. Jacob’s coming over later tonight, but I’ve got plenty of time.”

The restaurant was nearly empty. They both ordered an iced tea and an apple pecan chicken salad, and took their food to a table by the front window.

“So,” Lizzie said, “to reiterate what we’ve found out today. One, my daddy was researching a story at the library here on at least one occasion. Two, Harlan Fowks lived in Prescottville and his daughter may still be there. We just have to figure out how to find her. And what? Ask her what happened to her daddy? Try to figure out how, if at all, that ties in with Telford’s murder and our manuscript? And three, we’ve found out nothing further today about Frank Telford. I suppose two out of three isn’t bad.”

Sally-Jo laughed. “If I remember correctly, there’s a song
with that title somewhere out there. But you know, when you lumped them all together like that, I expected you to go on about a connection. The more we learn, the more likely it seems. I mean, coincidence only goes so far.”

Lizzie picked out a hot cornmeal roll from the basket that had just been set on the table. She added some butter and bit into it. “Yum. This is so good, I could be happy with three of them and nothing else.”

“Calories, my girl. Think fewer carbs.”

“Right,” Lizzie agreed and took another bite. She laughed when Sally-Jo ate hers and rolled her eyes in delight.

“Okay, let’s see how we can connect the dots then. We’ve both read the manuscript about Harlan Fowks. How does Frank Telford fit in? And how does my daddy fit in with both of them? If at all.”

She thought back to the first few chapters of the manuscript. “What was the scheme that Fowks got involved with? How did he lose his money? Land development, wasn’t it?”

Sally-Jo nodded. “I think so.”

“Now, remember I mentioned the only thing about Frank Telford I’d found in the
Corners Colonist
was an ad for Telford Construction? Now, it may not be Frank’s company, but I’ll bet a construction company could be involved in land development. Don’t you agree?”

Sally-Jo nodded again and leaned forward, excited. “That could be it. The connection. And maybe your daddy was doing a story on it. Maybe there was corruption or something like that and he was trying to blow it wide open.”

Lizzie took a couple of bites of her salad, savoring the flavor. Everything tasted better when she didn’t have to prepare it.

“You’re right. We won’t make assumptions nor jump to conclusions. First, we find out if Frank Telford and Telford Construction are one and the same. Then, maybe we can find a connection between the company and Harlan Fowks. As for my daddy, maybe if I assume that’s the story he was
working on, I can find some way to confirm or deny it. Although, according to what we know, the Fowkses’ story took place in the sixties, while my daddy was working on his story in 1990. Were they the same story? If so, what got him interested in it after such a long time? And regardless of all that, I’d also like to know why he wouldn’t, or couldn’t, share that fact with Mama.”

They looked at each other a moment. Lizzie lowered her eyes first. “Yeah, maybe he was doing the story and maybe having an affair at the same time. I can’t totally rule out anything just yet.”

They finished their meals and were back on the road within an hour.

“I kind of enjoy driving at twilight,” Lizzie said, trying to find something soothing on the radio. She stopped changing the dial when she found the Mobile NPR station.

Sally-Jo was staring out the side window. “That’s a right pretty sunset over the river. See how it glows on the water? No, I take that back. Don’t see… I’ll describe it to you.”

Lizzie laughed. “Deal. This road’s awful twisty. Your role has now officially been changed from navigator to scenery describer.”

“Well, there are no houses along this portion of the Tallapoosa River, listeners, and the sun is at the perfect angle, glinting off the water and into this here reporter’s eyes. The usually fairly clear blue river waters have been enchanted by a fairy’s wand and sparkle with silvers and shades of pinks.”

“Very nicely done,” Lizzie said appreciatively, glancing in her rearview mirror. “Continue, please.”

“Well, if I look down the short but steep embankment, I can see that glow continue on the wet rocks below. The tide is obviously on its way out, leaving behind it a damp sheen on the assorted vegetation and rock formations. Why do you keep glancing in the rearview, Lizzie?”

“Just watching that car behind us. It seemed to come out of nowhere and is gaining rapidly.” She gasped. “It just cut
straight across that curve. I hope it doesn’t catch us on a blind curve. I’ve nowhere to go to let it get by me.”

Sally-Jo turned in her seat. “It looks like he’s coming straight at us. Maybe you should speed up.”

“I can’t outrun something like that. This is just a little four-cylinder job. I’ll just slow a bit going into that next curve and pull over as far as I dare.”

She attempted to do just that as Sally-Jo gave her an inch-by-inch description of the car pulling up closer. “Good God, he’s right in our trunk.”

Lizzie glanced at her side mirror just in time to see this big black blur pull out beside her. Then, crash! The impact nearly knocked her car off the road. She hung on to the steering wheel, trying to keep her smaller Mazda from going over the edge. The rogue car veered into her once more, then raced off ahead as Lizzie fought in vain. The right front tire hit the verge, and the wheel yanked hard right as the Mazda nosed into a thicket of undergrowth. Lizzie and Sally-Jo were both thrown forward as the bumper smashed into something hard, setting off the airbags.

“Are you all right?” Lizzie asked, trying to extricate herself. Her hands shook so badly she had to take several deep breaths to try to calm down. She looked at Sally-Jo, who nodded despite the dazed expression on her face.

“Oh my God,” Lizzie moaned. “You’re sure you’re all right? He did that deliberately. Oh, my poor car. Yikes, we’d better get out of the car in case it’s not too stable. Let me go out first and check your side. You’re sure you’re okay?”

Sally-Jo finally answered. “Yup. The airbag did its thing. Now, if I can just get out of its clutches.”

Lizzie groaned, more in frustration than pain as she cautiously pushed her door open, undid her seatbelt and wiggled out. The car sat at a forty-five-degree angle to the road, nose downward, nestled against a thick stump. She walked around behind it and checked the passenger side. Sally-Jo’s window was still open. “It looks secure, but I can’t tell what
you’d be stepping out onto, so you’d better climb out my door, just to be safe.”

She walked back around and helped Sally-Jo out, then grabbed her purse from the backseat. “I’ll call the police.”

She looked around first, wishing a car would come by. But not a big black one. She shuddered and suddenly felt like she’d never stop shaking. After a few deep breaths, she pulled her cell phone out.

“You keep an eye out for that big black car. If it’s anything less sinister looking, flag it down. I’m calling Mark. It may not be his jurisdiction, but he can get us help.”

She punched in his number and tried hard not to burst into tears when she heard him answer. In a shaky voice, she told him what had happened.

“Are you okay?” His voice sounded two octaves higher than normal. “Were you hurt? Either of you?”

“Not really. A bit bruised and shaken, but there’s no blood or broken bones.” She tried to make a joke of it but ended with a sob.

“Where are you?” Mark asked.

She gave him directions the best she could.

“I’ll phone the local chief and get an ambulance on the way. I’m out the door as we speak. Just stay calm, sit down if you can find a safe spot and wait for help.”

Lizzie and Sally-Jo hugged each other for a few moments, then found a couple of boulders not too far away and sat, as instructed.

The ambulance got there first, and the EMTs were giving them cursory checks when the Stoney Mills police cruiser pulled up. One officer went directly to the patients, while the other checked out the car. He then radioed for a tow truck and put out red cones to warn traffic of the single lane they’d encounter. He kept an eye peeled in case he’d need to direct cars along.

By the time Mark arrived, both women had been declared in good shape, although the EMTs strongly suggested they
go with them to the hospital for observation. Both declined, but Mark assured the EMTs that he would take them to the Ashton Corners hospital on the way home. They had them sign waivers and then drove off.

Mark gave Lizzie a long hug and then went to talk to the officers. He identified himself and asked to take a look at the car that had just been hoisted onto the wrecker.

He took a minute to suggest to Lizzie and Sally-Jo they wait in his car, and then he examined the tire marks on the roadway and took a final look at the car’s resting place.

Meanwhile, the officers were busy taking measurements and drawing diagrams in their notebooks. Mark asked that they send him a copy of the report, and then he drove the women back to Ashton Corners.

Lizzie sat in the front with Mark. He reached over and held her hand. “Tell me what happened,” he said.

“Well, we were heading home from Stoney Mills”—he glanced at her sharply, which she ignored—“and I noticed this big black older-looking car coming up really fast behind us. When we came to that curve, I slowed a bit and pulled to the side as far as I could go, so he could get by us, but as he came alongside, he swerved right into my car. And then, he did it a second time. I lost control of the steering wheel with that one, and we ended up where you saw.” She started shivering. He squeezed her hand. “I guess it’s a good thing I’d slowed down, isn’t it?”

Mark looked at her quickly but didn’t answer. “What did you see, Sally-Jo?” he asked.

“When Lizzie mentioned this guy coming up fast, I turned around and sure enough, there he was. And all of a sudden, he pulled up beside us and slammed into us. And then a second time, just like Lizzie said. I couldn’t see him leave. The airbag was blocking my view.” Her voice shook. “He was nuts, Chief. Just plain nuts.”

Mark drove in silence a few minutes then asked, “And what were you doing in Stoney Mills?”

Lizzie wondered how much she should tell him. Everything, she decided. Except maybe the bit about her daddy possibly having had an affair. She outlined the afternoon’s events as Mark listened without comment. When she’d finished, he sighed.

“You talked to a lot of folks this afternoon,” was his only comment.

“Yes, we did. Do you think one of them drove that car? It couldn’t have been. They were all old folks. They couldn’t drive like that.”

Mark shook his head. “Now, if this is connected, and I’m not saying I think it is, they would all have younger relatives, wouldn’t they?”

Lizzie had to agree with him. “So, you think it was tied in?”

“It sounds like it was. I mean, one swerve could just be carelessness. Maybe a drunk driver or something. But that second one was definitely deliberate. Maybe he was drunk and didn’t want you reporting him after that first swipe. Maybe he tracked you out of town. They’re both possibilities I’ll be following up.”

“You will? But it’s not your jurisdiction, is it?”

“I’ll just offer my assistance. I’m sure Burt Howard won’t mind. I’ve done him a favor or two in the past.”

“Burt Howard? Not the football player from Ashton Corners High School?”

Mark grinned. “Yeah, my old teammate. Comes in handy to have those old school connections once in a while. Now, I’m taking you both to the hospital so they can see if you have concussions or anything, and then I’ll see you both home, if they let you go, that is.”

Sally-Jo said from the back, “All right. As long as I get home in time to watch PBS
Mystery
at ten.”

Lizzie smiled, relieved. Sally-Jo sounded just fine.