Mystery at Saddle Creek (4 page)

By four o'clock the chores were done, and Hannah, Bird and Julia started to bring in the horses for their dinner.

Boss had been out of sight all day, sulking. Now, however, he came racing out from under the sink in the feed room. “Ararararara!”

“Cliff must be back,” said Hannah, looking out the barn door.

He's home! He's home! Hurray! Hurray!

Calm down, Boss. You're deafening us.
Bird put her hands to her ears.

Hannah had guessed right. A police cruiser stopped at the barn, a cloud of dust catching up and engulfing it. Cliff got out and closed the door. The car turned around and sped away.

“Hi there, folks,” said Cliff with a smile. Boss ran for him and jumped into his arms, licking his entire face.

“Are you all right?” Hannah ran out, followed by the girls. “What happened?”

“They asked questions. I answered them.”

“That's all?”

Cliff put Boss down and patted the little dog's head. “They wanted DNA and I gave them some. They scraped some cheek tissue.”

“Did you learn anything new?” Hannah was curious.

“No.”

“Did you see anybody else? Any other suspects?” asked Julia.

“No.”

“You were gone all day and that's all you can tell us?” Bird persisted.

“You should talk! You went years without uttering a word.” Cliff looked at Bird with affection.

She smiled. “Guilty! Did you see Phil Butler? He was identified by that composite sketch, too.”

“They bring a person in one door and another out a different way. Nobody sees anybody else.”

“Well, we're happy you're back.” Julia spoke for everybody. “You must be relieved they let you go.”

Cliff nodded.“You bet,but it's not over yet. I'm not supposed to leave town, and if my DNA matches, I'm in deep trouble.”

“It won't,because you didn't do it.” Hannah gave him a quick pat on the shoulder. “I wonder who told the police the sketch looks like you.”

Cliff cocked his head. “I've been thinking about that. Remember Laura Long? When she took her horse away she was pretty mad at me.”

“She was mad because she couldn't have you on call twenty-four hours a day to change blankets and boots and bring her horse in at whim.” Hannah threw up her hands. “Boarders! We need them and love them, but sometimes ...”

Bird and Julia chimed in unison, “... they can drive us bananas!”

Julia broke into a dance that reminded Bird of a circus monkey, and everyone laughed. Cliff laughed loudest of all, and Bird realized how very happy he was to be home.

Watching him scoop up Boss and join the monkey dance, Bird couldn't help but shake her head. How unfair that Cliff, of all people, would be accused of murder! What were the police thinking? There was only one way to find out: she needed to get to the meeting in Inglewood.

4

 

THE INGLEWOOD MEETING

Tan crept closer and closer to the farmhouse. He had watched the adults leave in the truck, but the girl with the horse was still at home. He would speak to her tonight. Tan quickly looked over his shoulder. His stomach rumbled. While he was here, maybe he'd get something good to eat. He'd feel a lot better once he'd eaten something that hadn't been scrounged from the forest.

He stepped into the shrubs and peeked in a window. Nobody there. He tried to open the window, but it was locked. He moved silently to the next one and looked through the glass panes. Nobody in the dining room either, and it was locked as well. As Tan stealthily made his way toward the kitchen door, the brown dog inside the house began to bark. He moved away, confused. Then he sensed a presence: a savage presence. A low growl sounded behind him, and suddenly, a small coyote with a snarling face and glowing eyes appeared. Tan didn't wait for it to bite. He ran.

BIRD LAY FLAT under a horse blanket in the back of the Ford pickup, wondering if this whole thing was a good idea. Oh well, she thought. If she was caught, Hannah would be mad. It wouldn't be the first time.

The truck slowed. Bird could hear people talking, tires crunching on the gravel and lots of activity. She lifted a corner of the blanket and peered out. Hannah backed into a spot close to the store, beside the hill that crested at the railroad tracks. Perfect.

“I hope this meeting doesn't run too late,” said Paul, as he got out and closed the door behind him. “I'm up early tomorrow.”

“We can leave any time,” answered Hannah.

“The police think this will calm everyone down. Bet on it riling everyone up instead.”

“I think it's more for information. Awareness.” Hannah's voice grew fainter as they walked toward the store.“I hate leaving the girls alone with the attacker still on the loose.”

Bird felt a twinge of guilt. Because she was here, Julia was truly alone — all by herself in the farmhouse. Bird had told Lucky to guard the place, but she really hoped her little sister wasn't afraid.

Nobody had noticed Bird slipping onto the back of the truck as it idled outside the kitchen door — she'd taken the opportunity when it had presented itself. Just in case Hannah asked where she was, she'd prepared Julia with an alibi. Julia was to fib about Bird being up in the barn nursing a cat whose tail had been stepped on by a horse.

Now Bird lay still until she was pretty sure everyone had gone into the meeting. She had a cramp in her leg and the horse hairs from the blanket were making her itchy. But just as she began to uncover herself, another car drove quickly over the gravel and stopped. She waited while the door slammed and a woman's running footsteps headed for the store.

Okay. All's quiet, she thought. Time to figure out how I'm going to hear what's going on. Bird climbed off the truck and circled the store. At the far side was a window that was open just a crack. Bird smiled as she settled into the bushes and waited for the meeting to begin.

In less than a minute, the man who raised chickens in Cheltenham appeared at her window and looked outside. She tensed.

“It's getting hot in here already,” he said loudly. “Bea, get help opening all these windows. Roxy, can you put on the fans?” He hoisted open the window to let in the cool evening air. Bird smiled. Even better.

It took a moment for Bird's ears to sort out individual voices from the cacophony. She heard smatterings of assorted—but definite—opinions.Some were more forceful than others. Names were bandied about and people accused. The more Bird heard, the more she believed that people would be better off if they thought before they spoke. Or didn't speak aloud at all, like animals—like she herself had done for so many years.

Finally, Bird heard Roxanne introduce Officers Paris and O'Hare. She couldn't quite hear Roxanne over the voices close to her window, but as soon as Officer Paris began to speak, the crowd quieted.

“Thanks for coming out tonight, folks,” he began. “Your numbers show just how much interest this community has in safety.” There were murmurs of assent.

“We've been very busy since yesterday.” Rumbling asides and whispers punctuated Officer Paris's words.

“Thanks to those of you who came forward with information, we've interviewed three men today and are looking for a fourth. Before you ask for names, I'll tell you right now we're not giving them out. These men are innocent until proven guilty.”

“One of them isn't,” a woman's voice interjected. Bird recognized her as the owner of the coffee shop in Erin.

“We already know the identities of the suspects,” called out a man. “Her ex, the cop and the farmhand.”

“Who's the fourth?” asked another. Bird guessed that this speaker was Jim Wells, Ellen's husband.

Officer Paris tried to keep order.“Please,folks,leave the police work to the police. If everyone co-operates, we'll have this crime solved in no time, and the perpetrator will be behind bars.”

“Where he
should
be!” a woman with a shrill voice shouted.

“Amen,” added Jim Wells. “So, who's the fourth? You didn't answer my question.”

The young policeman cleared his throat. “The fourth suspect is an unknown man who is currently being sought by the police. We don't know much about him at this time.”

“Where does he live?” the shrill woman asked.

“It's possible that he's homeless.”

This admission caused an outbreak of discussion. Bird wondered if the meeting could continue with so much commotion.

“Quiet!” commanded Roxanne. “Really, people! We'll never get anywhere like this!”

Once the room was still, Officer Paris spoke again. “If we all follow basic good sense, like locking our doors and being aware of what's happening around us, there is no reason for concern. Keep us informed of anything out of the ordinary, and no matter how small it seems, tell us anything that worries you.”

“You talk about worry? I can't sleep with worry,” murmured someone, a younger woman by the tone. “And now you tell us there's a homeless man out there, too?” Bird strained her ears to pick up her words.

Another joined in. “This has always been a safe community. Now a woman's been killed! And you don't know who did it!”

“We understand your concern.” Officer Paris tried to soothe their fears. “We're taking this very seriously. No one wants this solved more than we do, and we're doing everything we can.”

“Is that true?” Ellen Wells's voice rang out above the others, and the room went quiet. “Sandra Hall was going about her day, minding her own business when this happened. If you'd seen that poor woman lying on the ground covered in her own blood, as I did, moments from death, exposed to the world and as helpless as a newborn baby, you'd stop talking about protecting the suspects' identities and all this stuff about innocent until proven guilty. You'd want that monster tarred and feathered!”

Bird shuddered. Ellen sounded like she was ready do the job herself.

Her husband spoke. “When you said this community cares about safety, you got that right. And justice, too. If this community doesn't get justice from the police, it'll get justice for itself!”

As the murmurs grew again to a roar, Bird felt goosebumps rise all over her body.

“Folks,please!” Officer Paris had to shout to be heard. “We're working night and day. We're following leads and searching for clues. I urge you all to remain calm.”

An elderly woman spoke up. Based on her Hungarian accent, Bird figured it was old Mrs. Goose. “Thank you, officers. We appreciate your visit very much.” She paused slightly, as if trying to decide whether to say more. “You have to understand, we all know each other here. We're good people, and we know the good and the bad about each other. We get used to things being the same — and safe — and we get worried when things change.” She swallowed and cleared her throat. “I want to ask us all to listen to the police and not let things get out of control.”

The whole store filled with noise. People began to talk to each other, speaking louder and louder in order to be heard. Bird's ears picked out comments.

“It's obvious! Pierre Hall attacked his ex-wife.”

“He's such a hothead.”

“Who saw this homeless guy?”

“I think Philip Butler did it.”

“But Pierre used to beat Sandra. That's why she left, you know.”

“Don't forget Cliff Jones!”

“What about the homeless bum?”

“First I've heard, but it scares me!”

“Please! May I have your attention!”

“What's all this about Phil's secret past?”

“Pierre's always been strange.”

“Where do they think the homeless guy lives?”

“If he's not locked up, somebody else will be next!”

“People, please! Calm down and listen!”

Bird slumped down on the ground outside the window. She knew these men and women. They were good people, as Mrs. Goose had said, but Paul had been right. The meeting was not going well, and she'd heard more than enough. She wanted to go home. But how?

As if in answer to Bird's wish, Mr. and Mrs. Pierson chose just that moment to make their own early exit. They passed so close to Bird that she was amazed they didn't notice her hiding in the bushes. She watched, holding her breath, as they climbed into their truck. The old blue Chevy kicked into action, then stopped. Pete got out and returned to the store, mumbling about how forgetful he was getting.

Bird didn't hesitate. This was her chance to get back to the farm before Hannah and Paul. She quietly ran to the back of the truck and carefully climbed on. Pete must have been moving hay that day, because the floor of the truck bed was soft with chaff. She lay as still as she could, and tried not to sneeze. Pete returned, backed out and drove off.

Bird was thrilled. All she had to do now was stay where she was until Pete and Laura entered their house, then she could dash home. If she ran fast she'd make it in ten minutes, maybe fifteen, and be back at Saddle Creek before Hannah and Paul.

Bird had just finished congratulating herself when the truck stopped — in front of the Saddle Creek farmhouse.

Laura opened her door. “Bird, honey? You can get out now. We thought we'd save you the trouble.”

Bird sat up, astonished and embarrassed. “I didn't think ...”

“I know, dear, but I was powdering my nose in the rear view mirror when you hopped on. It's all right. We won't tell.”

Pete opened his door and got out. “I would've done the same thing if I hadn't been invited. Sure as heck! Did you hear everything?”

Bird sighed as she jumped down to the ground. “You don't miss anything, do you? Did anyone else see me?”

“Nope,” answered Pete. “And we wouldn't have either, if Laura wasn't such a beauty.” He grinned at his wife, who tossed her head sassily.

Bird chuckled. “Thanks for the ride. And if it's okay with you ...”

“We won't tell, dear. Promise.” Laura gave her a quick smile.

Pete looked her in the eye. “What did you think?”

“Of the meeting?”

Pete nodded.

Bird paused before she spoke, weighing her thoughts. “I'm worried. People are really scared and angry. I just hope nobody does anything stupid, you know?”

“Perhaps they just needed an opportunity to blow off steam. Get things off their chests. Keep the cops on their toes. I hope that's so.”

“I hope so, too,” said Bird.

“Well, good evening, dear,” said Laura as she closed the door of the truck. “We don't want dear Hannah and her lovely beau to see us.”

“Good night!” Bird waved. “And thanks again!”

“We'll be at the show on Friday!” Pete called out as the truck rolled away. “We wouldn't miss it.”

Bird smiled. She loved the Piersons.

As she turned toward the house, Julia burst out of the front door followed by Lucky. “I was so scared! Lucky barked and barked and I was sure that the wild man was walking around the house trying to get in! I've never been so scared in my life. I'm so so so glad you're home!”

“I'm sorry! I didn't stop to think how scared you'd be or I wouldn't have gone.” Bird hugged her little sister tightly. “You're shivering.”

A man was here! A man was here! I scared him away!

Good dog!

As they hurried together up the walk, Bird checked for signs of the intruder. There! Under the living room window. Footprints. Several of them were clearly embedded in the new loam that Hannah had put in the gardens that very morning. And under the dining room window, too. Julia and Lucky hadn't imagined things. Not wanting to frighten her sister further, Bird said nothing.

Once inside, the girls locked the door and turned on all the lights, even though the sun had not yet set. To keep busy until the adults returned, they decided to make hot chocolate and oatmeal cookies. They went into the kitchen and got out all the ingredients. Bird stirred the cocoa on the stove and Julia mixed the eggs with the vanilla, butter and brown sugar. As soon as the electric beaters started up, Bird yelled,“I'll be back in a sec! Keep it going for three minutes!”

Bird went into the hall and dialed 911. She instructed the police operator to come immediately—a person had been looking in the windows around the house and might still be there.

“Will someone be here soon?” she asked.

“As soon as you hang up, I'll pass it along.”

“Thanks.” Bird hung up without delay and entered the kitchen.

“That's enough, Julia!” Bird said over the noise of the beaters.

“It's not three minutes!”

“It's enough anyway.”

The cookies took twelve minutes to bake. By the time Julia took them out of the oven, sniffing the delicious aroma, both Hannah's truck and a police car had arrived at Saddle Creek.