Hopscotch Homicide (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 16) (6 page)

“Should have known you’d be investigating.”

“Yes, well, I do try to help out where I can.”

I listened as Ruby took a deep breath. The poor old girl sounded like she was exhausted even though it was still morning.

“I’m not sure what I can tell you that would help. That fund-raiser was so long ago. I will say the woman could rub people the wrong way. I’m sure she didn’t intend to. She just had this way about her. My guess is that she suffered some great pain in her life and had developed a defense mechanism that prevented her from developing new relationships. To be honest, I was surprised she even volunteered for the committee.”

“Do you remember anything specific about her life at the time?” I asked. “People she socialized with? Other activities she was involved with?”

“No, not really. I know she was close to her neighbor. A cute young thing who seemed to look out for Evelyn. Maybe she can help you.”

“I’ve spoken to her, but she didn’t seem to have any idea who might have wanted to hurt Mrs. Brown.”

“You should talk to Gilda Reynolds. I seem to remember her having some strong opinions about the woman. It seems like her sister knew Mrs. Brown before she even moved to Ashton Falls.”

“I’ll be seeing Gilda tomorrow. I’ll be sure to make a point of speaking to her. If you think of anything else will you call me?”

“Certainly.”

“And I’ll call you in a few days about Digger.”

Ruby sighed.

“I’ll find him an awesome home. I promise.”

“I know you will, dear. You’re so good to all of the animals in your care.”

I hung up and headed toward the truck. I could see Zak and Charlie coming toward me from the opposite direction. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to rehome Charlie for some reason. He was as much a part of my life as the people I shared my time with.

“Ready?” Zak asked.

“Ready,” I said, though with less enthusiasm than I’d felt prior to my phone conversation.

“Something wrong?” Zak asked.

“Poor Ruby has to rehome Digger. She’s having difficulty getting around and her daughter wants her to move into an assisted care facility. It makes me so sad when people I care about are faced with such difficult situations. I’d die if I had to give up Charlie.”

Zak put his arm around me. “These types of things are tough, I agree. I’m sure we can find a great home for Digger.”

“Yeah, we will.”

“Are you still up to going to the airport with me?”

I smiled. “Yeah. I’m anxious to meet the girls. What did you say their names were?”

“Brooklyn, Pepper, and Eve.”

“And Brooklyn is the oldest?”

“Brooklyn is sixteen, Pepper is fifteen, and Eve is fourteen.”

“Three teenage girls could prove to be quite a handful. I hope Phyllis knows what she’s getting herself into. Up to now, the only roommate she’s shared her home with is her cat, Charlotte.”

“Phyllis has assured me that she’s excited to take on this new challenge,” Zak said. “She seems really excited to have the opportunity, although, as we discussed, I think she’s nervous as well. I interviewed each of the girls on the phone before accepting them into the Academy. They each come from unique circumstances, but they all seemed to be excited about having the opportunity for a fresh start. I think Phyllis is going to prove to be a wonderful influence on them.”

“I’m sure she will. Alex loves Phyllis. She might never have had children of her own, but she seems to have a lot of love to share with the younger generation. I’m sure she’s superexcited to meet the girls, as I am.”

Interactive Reader Portal
: If you want to read the story chronologically, read chapter 1 of
Zimmerman Academy
now by clicking on Zim1. Once you finish reading it, there will be a link to bring you to the top of Chapter 6, and you can continue on from there. If you prefer to read
Zimmerman Academy
as a separate short story, or if you prefer to skip the chapters narrated by Phyllis, continue on to Chapter 6 now.

#Zim1

I looked around the lakefront patio and adjoining beach. It was a beautiful day on the mountain and I could see everyone was enjoying themselves. We’d invited Zimmerman Academy’s staff and students to a casual meet and greet. It was the first time most of the students had met the staff, and I found I was nervous to see how everyone would get along. Zak and I wanted the event to set a positive tone for the upcoming year, so we’d pulled out all the stops to provide a party that everyone would remember.

My assistant at Zoe’s Zoo, Jeremy Fisher, was in a band and had agreed to attend and provide ongoing entertainment, and Ellie had volunteered to make the food. We’d settled on an academic theme and she’d assured me that she and Levi would put their heads together to come up with some fun options. Both of my parents were here for moral support, as was Pappy, who came with Hazel, our resource coordinator and volunteer librarian. Also in attendance were full-time staff members Phyllis King and Will Danner and part-timers Ethan Carlton, Nick Benson, and Gilda Reynolds.

“Thank you again for doing all the food,” I said to Ellie.

“I was happy to do it. It was fun coming up with academic-themed goodies. Have you tried the Green Eggs and Hamburgers?”

“Not yet, but I will. I did have some geometry party mix. I must say you did a good job finding snack foods to cover most of the shapes.”

“It was fun trying to come up with as many shapes as possible. Realizing Bugles were in the shape of a cone was a bonus. It looks like everyone was able to make it.”

“Yeah, everyone who was invited has shown up, and so far, everyone seems to be having fun, including Levi, who made it clear he didn’t want to come,” I commented.

“I think he’s glad now that he did. See the student he’s talking to?”

I looked across the patio toward the beach, where Levi was talking to a sixteen-year-old technology wizard who came to us from the state capital.

“His name is Dezil Washburn,” I supplied.

“It seems he’s some kind of football superstar. Levi said he played on the team Ashton Falls beat in last year’s state final. Levi indicated Dezil was by far the best player on the team.”

“Really?” Dezil was a tall, athletically built black kid who looked like a football player if you removed his thick-framed glasses, which made him look like a nerd. “He’s that good?”

“Levi said he is. He’s hoping to convince him to join the Ashton Falls team.”

“I’m sure we could work it out around his other afternoon activities if he’s interested. I wonder why he wanted to move to Ashton Falls if he was such a big star on his team.”

“Levi didn’t say. He’s living with an aunt, so maybe there were problems at home.”

“That seems to be the common link between all the kids Zak has decided to take under his wing. He’s been looking for kids who are bright and talented but also in need of a steady learning and living environment.”

“I think it’s really awesome that he’s using some of his money to help these kids. The few I’ve spoken to do seem to demonstrate a lot of unmet potential. I wonder if I should have taken on a boarder.”

“You live in a one-bedroom boathouse,” I reminded her.

“True. I guess it wouldn’t be practical, but I’m feeling a little left out. Everyone has really come forward to pitch in.”

I put my arm around Ellie. “You help out more than you know.”

She and I chatted for a while longer, until she wandered off to refill the food. I did feel a little bad for her. She’d been so desperate to have a child in her life and still had none, while I, the friend who’d vowed never to have kids, had taken responsibility for three. Life can be strange.

Pappy walked up and kissed me on the cheek. “Nice party.”

“Thanks. I think it turned out well. Everyone seems to be having a good time.”

“Is that kid with the green hair one of yours?” he asked.

I nodded. “His name is Dexter Wilkerson. He’s kind of odd, but I mean that in the nicest way. When I first met him, his hair was purple. I asked him about the rainbow of hair colors and he told me that he likes his hair to match his mood. He’s really smart, and despite his unconventional approach to personal style, he seems to have a mature presence for a fourteen-year-old.”

“Is he the boy who’s living with Nick?”

“Yes. Dex is interested in science, so it seems to be working out, although he’s more in to the physical sciences than the biological ones. He told Zak he wants to be either an astrophysicist or an aerospace engineer.”

“Sounds like an impressive goal. I can’t remember wanting to be anything specific when I was fourteen.”

“Yeah, me neither. These kids seem so much more focused than I ever was. Alex wants to be a writer. She finally let me take a peek at the book she’s been working on and it’s really good. I bet she could even get it published. Scooter, on the other hand, has decided after two weeks of soccer practice that he wants to play the sport professionally when he grows up.”

“I seem to remember you going through a phase where you wanted to be a professional skier,” Pappy reminded me.

“True.”

“Kids’ dreams usually meet up with their potential at some point. How’s your investigation going?”

“It’s going,” I said. “I don’t feel like either Salinger or I are getting anywhere, but I guess fumbling around in the beginning is part of the process. I spoke to Lilly, who pointed me toward Trudy Blacksmith. Trudy seemed to think Mrs. Brown was obsessed with her baby for some reason.”

“That’s odd.”

“Yeah, I thought so too, but Tawny confirmed that the woman
was
overly focused on him. I don’t know if that tells us anything important, but it feels relevant.”

“You’ll figure it out. You always do.”

I chatted with Pappy for a few more minutes before he went off to find Hazel. I was proud of the way all our students seemed to be comfortable chatting with the adults they’d just met. I had high hopes for all of them in spite of their somewhat colorful pasts.

“Try one of these Napoleons.” Ellie had walked up and handed me a delicious-looking pastry.

“This is really good,” I said after taking a bite.

“I had to be sure I had history covered with a subject-related food,” Ellie explained. “It’s a new recipe I think turned out really well.”

“It’s great. And I overheard several people commenting on how fun and delicious the food is. At first I wasn’t sure about trying to do a theme, but it seems to have worked out. Phyllis loves cake; have you offered her any yet?”

“Not yet. I’m making my way around the patio.”

I glanced over to where Phyllis was talking to Nick. She seemed engaged in the conversation, but I couldn’t help but notice her wandering eye.

“This may be a bit premature, but it looks like Phyllis might have a little crush on Will Danner,” I said.

Ellie looked in her direction. “You think so? She isn’t even talking to him.”

“That’s true,” I admitted. “But I’ve noticed her noticing him.”

“You think?” Ellie furrowed her brow and took a closer look. “I mean, he’s a widower and Phyllis is single. I imagine they’re close to the same age. I’ve just never known Phyllis to date.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “I suppose my overactive imagination might be seeing things that aren’t there. Still, I really think I picked up on a vibe when I spoke to her earlier about Annabelle.”

“Annabelle?”

“A cat Phyllis is interested in for Pepper.”

“She’s getting a cat for one of the girls who boards with her?”

“Apparently. I’m not sure how Charlotte is going to feel about it, but Annabelle is a small cat with a quiet disposition. I think Charlotte will do fine with her once they get used to each other. I told Phyllis I’d meet with her and Pepper in the morning so they could meet Annabelle, but I have a feeling they’ll get along just fine.”

Ellie waved to Phyllis, who noticed us watching her.

“I wonder how Phyllis is doing with the girls,” Ellie said.

“I asked her that when I spoke to her this morning and she said they were all getting along really well. She sounded sincere.”

“The only one of the three I’ve talked to so far is Pepper,” Ellie commented. “That girl talks a mile a minute.”

“Yeah, she isn’t one to be stingy with her words.”

“It seems like Pepper and Chad are getting along well.”

Chad Carson, one of the three local kids invited to attend the Academy, was both intelligent and uberperky. It seemed he would do well in school, but he’d demonstrated difficulty in fitting into the public school structure and welcomed the chance to attend classes with students who would challenge his intellect.

“I’m not surprised. If there’s anyone who can match her word for word it’s Chad. Between the two of them, I predict any of the other students are going to find it challenging to get a word in edgewise.”

Ellie picked up one of the bite-size pastries and took a nibble. “I’d better circulate the rest of these before I eat them all. I really do love the way they turned out. Do you want another one before I give them all away?”

“Yes, please,” I said as I snagged two.

As Ellie walked away I started toward Zak, who was speaking to Will. When he’d told me that he wanted to hire a full-time math teacher I wasn’t certain it was the best move, but he’d explained that math was the foundation for everything else, and an expert in the field would make a huge difference.

“Evelyn Brown wasn’t the woman everyone thought she was,” Gilda said as she walked up behind me.

“You startled me; I didn’t see you coming.”

“Sorry. I wanted to be sure to have the opportunity to speak to you, and you’ve been busy most of the day. When Ellie walked away and I saw you standing here by yourself I decided to take advantage of your being alone before someone else wandered over. Can we speak in private?”

“Sure; let’s go into the house. Everyone is out here, so we should be able to speak without being disturbed.”

Gilda followed me into the kitchen, where I motioned for her to have a seat at the table. “Why do you say Mrs. Brown wasn’t who people thought she was?”

“I was here, you know. Back when her husband died in that fire.”

I knew Gilda had lived in Ashton Falls for her entire life, and based on her age, I guessed she would have been in her early twenties when Mrs. Brown’s husband died.

“Yes, I guess you would have been. Did things happen differently from what I’ve been told to this point?”

“I imagine you’ve been told the fire was set by a bunch of kids and her husband was a hero who saved Jim Bower’s life. And I’m sure you’ve been told that everyone felt sorry for Evelyn and the entire town rallied around her.”

“Yes,” I admitted, “that’s exactly what I’ve been told. It isn’t true?”

Gilda shrugged. “To a point. It’s true her husband died in the fire, and the boy he saved most likely only survived because of his actions, but it isn’t true that the entire community rallied around Evelyn. There were a few of us who believed Evelyn was responsible for everything that happened.”

I frowned. “What are you saying?”

“Evelyn and her husband had a child before they moved to Ashton Falls. A baby boy.”

Jonah
, I realized.

“He only lived to be four months old. The baby’s death was attributed to crib death, but Evelyn thought it was actually the result of her husband’s neglect.”

“His neglect?”

“He was alone with him when the baby died. Evelyn blamed him for the baby’s death. Many people believed she was losing her mind to the grief. I only know this because my sister Gwen lived in Lake Polk at the time, which is where Evelyn and her husband lived before moving to Ashton Falls.”

Lake Polk was a small town about ninety miles away. I had to wonder why the baby was buried here if he’d died while they were living in Lake Polk. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe the Browns’ baby wasn’t named Jonah and the Jonah in the cemetery was someone else entirely.

“After they moved to Ashton Falls her husband tried to help her move on from the tragedy they’d suffered. I knew of her history, so I befriended her and tried to help, to the degree she would let me in. On the surface, it seemed like she was building a life here in Ashton Falls, but to those of us who knew her, it was obvious she had never worked through the loss of her child.

“On the day of the fire,” Gilda continued, “the young child Evelyn’s husband rescued had been left alone in the house while his babysitter ran to the market. I guess that had happened before, and Evelyn had told the child’s parents about the babysitter’s neglect, but the girl denied it and the parents chose to believe her. Everything went down so quickly, no one knew exactly what happened, except that when the firemen arrived, Evelyn was sitting on the lawn with the young boy in her lap and her husband was lying dead beside her. Evelyn told the firemen that her husband had saved the boy but had died after he’d exited the building. She also told the sheriff that she’d seen a bunch of kids running away from the scene of the crime and believed they had started the fire. Most people believed her. Why would she lie?”