Murder in the Winter (20 page)

26

Fifteen minutes later, Lou and I left with a list
containing twenty-seven names. I had asked Mrs. Burris to list the date of each
call, so I’d know whether the person we were calling on was someone Phelps
might’ve talked to when he first arrived in Hilldale or right before he left
town. I knew it was a long shot, but it was possible that he might have told
some of the early ones why he had come to Hilldale, while the more recent ones
might have learned a little of his windfall, why he was leaving, and where he
was headed.

The first five calls got us nowhere. There was no one
at home at two of the residences, and the other three said Phelps talked only
about his business and said nothing about his personal life.

As much as we could, we tried to keep our calls in order,
as far as distance was concerned. I didn’t want to spend all my time driving.
At the sixth house, a man answered the door. He said he was home when Phelps
came to repair a leaky faucet, and that the two of them had talked.

“Did he tell you anything about himself, Mr. Owens?”

“A little. He said he was new to town and that he was
from Arkansas. Told me he was here to see a friend, but he found a job so
quickly that he hadn’t had time to look up his friend. Said his friend had a
lot of money. Also told me about his brother. Not sure where his brother lives,
but he’s a pharmacist.”

“Did he by any chance tell you his friend’s name or
what he does for a living?”

“Not that I recollect.”

“Anything else?”

“Nothing important. We talked about the weather and
NASCAR. Both of us are big fans. Don’t get the idea that he wasted a lot of
time or didn’t pay attention to what he was doing. He wasn’t here that long and
he fixed my pipes at a reasonable price. Well, reasonable considering plumbing
is so expensive these days. Getting so some plumbers make as much as some
doctors. Probably not as much, but close to it after those doctors pay for all
that malpractice insurance.”

I thanked Owens and left. We didn’t find out a lot,
but what we found out seemed to fit in with the other information we knew. At
least we knew that Phelps could talk.

We struck out at the next two places. A pretty blonde
answered at the third house. Young and attractive, she smiled, and positioned
her body to her best advantage. She didn’t need to do that. Her tight-fitting
clothes curved every time her body did. Everything about her seemed to say “hug
me.”

Her demeanor didn’t change after I told her who I was
and why I was there. She invited us inside, introduced herself. I wondered if
she was telling the truth when she said her name was Yolanda Lovely. 

I showed her the picture. She was chewing gum, and
popped it as she looked.

“Yeah, that’s him. Good looking. Don’t you think? Oh,
I guess you might not look at him the same way I do.”

I agreed that the two of us wouldn’t look at Phelps in
the same way, but didn’t answer her. Instead, I carried on with my questions. I
hoped she had visited Phelps at his place and could tell us where he used to
live.

“Miss Lovely, what can you tell us about Mr. Phelps?”

“Well, he was kind of shy. Told me I made him nervous
by standing so close while he worked.   Imagine, little ole me making someone
nervous.”

She took a few steps forward. Only my protruding midsection
kept her from getting close enough to kiss me, without leaning forward like one
of those plastic birds dipping for water. I glanced down. Some of her parts
were dangerously close to me.

“Do I make you nervous, Lieutenant?”

I told my body not to sweat, then spoke too quickly.

“No,” I said in a voice that resembled that of a changing
adolescent. She laughed.

Totally uncomfortable in her presence, I asked another
question without giving it enough thought.

“Are you married, Miss Lovely?”

“My, you work fast, don’t you, Lieutenant? I was once.
You?”

I was not about to turn and face my partner. I knew he
was having a delightful time at my expense. Quickly, I tried to compose myself
and finish my questioning.

“What I meant was I thought maybe you’d invited Ray
Phelps over for supper one night, or maybe had been to his place.”

“Oh, you’re a smart one, Lieutenant.”

Miss Lovely, suddenly aware that we were not alone,
glanced at Lou, then back at me.

“What about him?” she asked, pointing to Lou. “Can he
talk?”

“He can if I pull his string. So, did you invite
Phelps over, or go to his place?”

“I would’ve done either, but like I said, he was shy.”

“Did you get him to talk any?”

“A little. Not much. I found out he was new in town.
What are you looking for him for? What did he do? Kill somebody, or did someone
kill him?”

“Not unless you know something I don’t.”

“Well, there must be some reason you’re looking for
him?”

“There is. We’re trying to find a friend of his. Did
he say anything about having any friends?”

“No, but I would’ve been willing to be his friend.
What about you, Lieutenant? You’re more settled. Could you use a friend?”

“Didn’t I tell you I was married?”

“What about him? You know what they say about those
strong, silent types?”

“He’s taken, too. But back to Phelps. Do you know anything
about where he lived, if he had a phone?”

“You’re sure he’s not in any trouble?”

“No, I just want to talk to him. He might know someone
we’re looking for.”

“So, I won’t be getting him in any trouble?”

“No. Now what do you know about him, Miss Lovely?”

“I like it when you call me Miss Lovely. You turn kinda
red when you do.”

“Miss, uh, Yolanda, we’re not here to discuss my
looks. I need to know what you know about this man.”

“Okay. All right. I’ll tell you. I was hitting on him,
you see. Trying to get him to come over to supper one night. I could tell he
was a nice guy, and he would’ve liked me too if he’d have come for supper. I’m
a good cook.” She noticed my impatience and hurried on. “Anyway, I got him to
give me his phone number. Actually, the phone wasn’t in his name. He rented a
room from some older lady.”

“So, did you call him?”

“I did, but he was never there when I called. After a
few times, I just gave up. There’s other fish in the sea. Like yourselves. I
don’t think either one of you is married. You’re just afraid of women. Like he
was.”

All this time, the woman stood so close if I’d taken
my candy bar out of my pocket the heat would’ve melted it before I got it to my
mouth. I needed the information about Phelps, and then I needed to get out of
there.

“Can you write down that phone number for me?”

She winked at me, then walked away. She walked in a
way my next-door neighbor would never be able to walk. In a minute Miss Lovely
came back and handed me a piece of paper.

“This is his phone number, and here’s mine,” she said,
pointing to a number written below it. “I understand you have to be all
business with him around. But after you get off work, give me a call. I might
be able to remember something else. If you really aren’t interested, he’ll do.
He’s cute too, and who knows, I think if we’re alone for a few minutes I can
bring him out of his shell.”

All this time I never took my eyes off the sheet of paper.
There was no way I was going to look at that woman any more than I had to. Not
thinking clearly, I started to put the paper in my pocket, and then realized
that her fingers still clutched the other side of the paper. As she let go, she
took my hand in hers, then took her other hand and raked her fingers over the
palm of my hand as she pulled away. If I had had a bucket of cold water, I
would’ve doused her with it. 

I thanked her without mentioning her name again, then
stepped back to avoid contact with her on the way to the front door. As we
walked to the car, Lou told me that she blew us a kiss.

I unlocked Lightning. We both slid in. I turned to
face the grin that had not gone away. I reached for my back pocket, acted like
I’d lost my wallet.

“Oh, Lou. I must have dropped my wallet in that woman’s
house. Would you go back and see if you can find it?”

“Say, Cy, how much is it worth to you if I keep this between
us? George and Frank would love to know that you have a way with women.”

I ignored his comments, and spoke.

“I don’t have any lipstick on me, do I, Lou? That
woman was awfully close.”

“No, Cy. All I see is a bunch of sweat. It’s amazing
how much you can sweat in the winter.”

“Some people’s homes are warmer than others.”

My partner laughed, and then continued.

“By the way, Cy, I got a list of all the women who
seemed interested in you today. If we’ve got time to drop by a store that sells
little black books, I’ll write them down for you.”

I envisioned the women we’d encountered on Linden,
Miss Lovely, and my next-door neighbor. Sometimes being a widower is tough.

I floored Lightning before Lou could buckle and sent
him scurrying to fasten his seatbelt. I called the department to find out where
Phelps’s landlady lived.

+++

A few minutes later, we pulled up in front of a house
on Owsley Avenue, got out, and walked to the door. A white-haired woman
answered our knock. We identified ourselves and she invited us inside.

“I’m Mrs. Collins. What can I do for you gentlemen?”

“Mrs. Collins, did you rent a room to a man named Ray
Phelps?”

“Yes, don’t tell me something happened to Ray.”

“Not as far as I know. I’m just trying to find him.”

“Has he done anything wrong?”

“Not that I know of. I just need to ask him some questions.
Do you know where I can find him?”

“No, I’m sorry I can’t say where. I assume you already
know that he’s left Hilldale.”

“We’d heard that he had, but we have no idea where he
went. Supposedly, he had a friend here in town, but we can’t find out who it
was.”

“There was a man who came to see him a few days before
he left, but I don’t know his name.”

“Did you see the man?”

“Yes, I let him in.”

“Can you describe him?”

“I’m not good at things like that. He was average as
much as I could tell.”

As she answered, I wondered if the man was an actor,
or someone who had access to an actor’s accessories. If so, he probably came
disguised.

“Were you there when Mr. Phelps saw him?”

“Yes, I went to get Ray. Told him he had a visitor.”

“How did Mr. Phelps react when he saw the man?”

“He recognized him, seemed glad to see him.”

“Did he have any other visitors?”

“No, just the one. But there was some woman that
called here for him a few times. Ray told me she was a customer of the plumber
he worked for, that she had hit on him when he was there. He told me he gave
her my phone number in order to escape, but told me to tell her he was out if
she called.”

“And she never came by?”

“He didn’t give her my address. One time when she
called, she asked if I were Mrs. Harrison. I never gave her my name. I assume
she wanted to know my last name, so she could match the name with the phone
number and find out where Ray was staying. I was too smart for her.”

“How did Mr. Phelps seem when he moved out?”

“Oh, he was happy. Said he’d come into some money and
was going to enjoy himself for a while.”

“Do you have any idea where he went?”

“Only that he said he was tired of all this cold
weather, and he was going somewhere where it was warm.”

“And you haven’t heard from him since?”

“No, Lieutenant. I haven’t. I hope he’s okay.”

“I’m sure he is.”

As I walked out, I felt like someone who’d traveled
down the yellow brick road, only to find that the road came to a dead end.

+++

I sat in the car, pondered what we would do next. Oh,
I knew what we’d do next. It was late. Time to eat. But I contemplated what
Thursday might hold for us. Just before I pulled away from Mrs. Collins’s
house, I turned to Lou and smiled.

“Well, Lou, it looks like we’ve solved our murder.”

“We have?”

“Yeah, Phelps and Profitt’s sister were in it
together. By now, they’re on some remote island soaking up the sun. Oh, well.
Are you ready for something to eat?”

“If you’d rather drop me off at the house, Cy, you
can.”