The Maestro (Cold Hollow Mysteries Book 3) (16 page)

The man kept spewing hatred, and Maurice said, “Do shut up!” Maurice tightened his grip on the corn knife, raised it, and swung it in a mighty arc. He hit his mark with precision, and the man’s head blew off his shoulders in midsentence. It spun through the air and rolled to a stop at Fran’s feet. Randolph’s ice-blue eyes were still open and staring at her.

Fran’s eyes rolled, and she fainted dead away at Adam’s side. He held her in his arms as Maurice pushed a pile of straw beneath the dead man’s body to absorb the spilled blood. He glanced at his watch and then rolled his shoulders to limber up. He smiled at Adam. “Take Frances to the house to wake up and soothe her shattered nerves.”

Adam asked, “Don’t you need help, boss?”

Maurice shook his head. “I’m in the mood for a workout, but thank you for offering.”

Adam narrowed his eyes and said, “You suspected a second killer all along, didn’t you?”

Maurice nodded. “I made mention of it from the beginning. One man could never have been able to accumulate such a body count without assistance. I had an inkling that Reginald’s disappearance would flush out his accomplice.”

Fran roused, pointed at the dangling, headless corpse, and stuttered, “Thuh-that wah-was his twin brother!”

Maurice retrieved the wheelbarrow and replied, “Yes, obviously he was the brother with the faulty DNA. Such atrocities do happen from time to time in nature. It’s rare to see an albino, and I’m delighted I’ve had the chance.” He moved the wheelbarrow closer to the deceased, grabbed a clean horse blanket, and slung it over his right shoulder. He yanked the pitchfork clear of the beam and the body and let it drop to the floor while allowing the body to drape over his right shoulder. More blood continued to leak from the neck of the corpse, so Maurice kicked more straw about the floor.

After he flipped the body into the wheelbarrow, he picked up the head and rolled the remains out the doors while whistling a tune. He grabbed a shovel and a bag of lime and headed toward Fran’s red rosebush, where plucked a blossom and jammed it inside Randolph’s mouth. He then proceeded to the tree line and dug a grave beside Reginald’s.

Fran and Adam walked outside and watched him. Fran asked, “Does anything ever rattle him to the core? I mean anything at all?”

Adam shrugged. “Sure. Anyone who double-crosses him, tries to steal from him, or harms his family. You know…the usual stuff.”

Fran winced. “I mean, does he ever scream or yell?”

Adam shook his head. “Nope, he says it’s a waste of time. He’d rather spend that time calculating revenge.”

Fran blew some air from her puffed cheeks, shook her head, and dragged Adam into the house to the kitchen. Adam watched her turn on the cold-water tap and place her hands beneath the running water. She splashed some on her face twice, reached for a paper towel, and patted herself dry. She turned and filled a coffee carafe and started a pot of coffee for them. She then sat at the table across from him and began weeping.

Twenty minutes and two cups of coffee later, Fran was lucid again, and they went outside to check on Maurice. The found him sitting in the far field, gazing into the trees.

Fran asked, “Is he all right?”

Adam glanced at his watch and said, “He’ll get up soon. He’s thinking.” He went into the barn, cleaned up the bloody straw, and brought the pitchfork and corn knife outside for Fran to hose down. He retrieved his boss’s suit coat and dusted it off for him. When he went back out the doors, he noticed Maurice standing and gathering the horse blanket and tools. He wheeled it all back to the barn and put everything away.

Once outside, he unrolled his shirtsleeves and slipped into his suit coat. Adam checked him for soil, and Fran ran the outdoor tap so he could wash his hands. She handed out a clean rag for him to dry his hands and dust off his shoes. They watched him glance at his watch, smile, and say, “It seems we’re right on time once again, Adam. Let us go see what mess my lovely daughter has gotten into during our absence.” He turned to Fran, bowed, and said, “I look forward to seeing you again at our farewell dinner this evening at Robert’s restaurant. Good day to you, Ms. Frances O’Connor.” He walked toward their vehicle, leaving Fran in shock.

Adam hugged her and kissed her good-bye while whispering, “I’ll pick you up at six o’clock.” She nodded and watched them leave the farm.

CHAPTER 18

Adam and Maurice pulled up at the furniture store just as Delilah was coming out. She was now carrying a rather stylish briefcase that was already bulging with documents. She slid into the passenger’s seat beside Adam and said, “Let’s go to the tavern.” She reached out and squeezed his arm. “Don’t lose your head about it, but you may have to strong-arm someone.”

Adam stared straight ahead. “No problem. It seems to be the ongoing theme today.” They heard Maurice cackling from the backseat.

Delilah turned in her seat as far as the belt allowed, smiled at her father, and asked, “What devilish antics have you been up to, Father?”

He was wearing a surprisingly wide smile as he gazed upon her. “I simply had an exciting day so far, and I hope it continues.”

Adam grunted, “I told you more than once, boss, there’s something about redheads and their penchant for pitchforks.” Maurice burst out in laughter and slapped his knee.

Delilah turned back around in her seat, giggling. “I know I’ll find out eventually, but right now you seem content, so I won’t poke into the matter further.”

Maurice’s laughter went up a notch as he gasped, “Did you hear that, Adam? ‘Poke into the matter further’?” He was in a fit of laughter in the backseat as Adam chuckled along with him.

They pulled up in front of the tavern as Maurice was dabbing the tears of laughter from his eyes. As they got out of the car, Delilah asked, “Can you two hold it together long enough for me to complete this transaction?”

Maurice pinched his mouth shut, gave her puppy-dog eyes, and nodded. Adam nudged him forward, and they entered the tavern. Maurice stood in shock as his eyes roamed the interior. He frowned and groaned, “Well, this sight just obliterated my jovial mood.”

They each slid onto a stool at the bar, and Delilah lifted her briefcase and slammed it down on the bar top. Maurice sat to her right, Adam to her left. The barkeep came over to them and asked, “What can I get you folks?”

Delilah smiled and said, “You can get me the owner of this establishment.”

He wiped down the bar with a rag and replied, “You’re looking at him.” Adam took measure of the balding man and noticed he was on the border of being obese and reeked of hard liquor; his eyes were bloodshot. He was staggering a bit behind the bar.

Delilah said, “Perfect. I would like to make you an offer to purchase this tavern. How much money would it take?”

He leaned down in front of Adam and hooked a thumb at Delilah. “Is she for real?”

Adam gave him a cold, hard stare and replied, “Yup, and I’d talk directly to her if I were you.”

The man’s eyes made their way to Delilah and he grinned, revealing his dirty, jagged teeth. “It would take $500,000.”

Adam grabbed the collar of his shirt, yanked down, and sent his face smashing into the bar top. When the man raised his head, he pressed his rag to his bloody nose.

Delilah continued smiling at him and said, “Considering the condition of this tavern, I think a fairer price would be $300,000, don’t you?”

She watched his eyes roam to Adam and back to her. He spoke from behind the rag and said, “Three hundred thousand would be fine.”

She opened her briefcase, removed the blank bank checks, and scrawled out the amount as the man stood there in shock. She glanced at him and demanded, “Don’t just stand there like a drunken lout. Go and get me the property title and sign it over to me.”

Maurice’s fingers danced atop the bar, and he glanced at the man, smiled, and said, “Chop-chop. My daughter was not graced with patience.”

The man rushed to the tavern’s office and nearly fell over his own feet, banged into a small table for two, and rushed for the office door. Within moments, he returned and held the title in his hand. She held out her pen for him to use and recited her name to him. He signed it over as she ripped the check from the book and handed it to him. “Fill in your own name. I don’t even want to know what it is. Hand over the keys and tell your workers to come forward.”

He gathered the employees, all three of them, and told them he’d sold the building, so they’d have to look for different jobs in town. They all staggered out like zombies after retrieving their personal belongings, and he did the same.

Maurice didn’t waste a moment. He went behind the bar and took stock of the liquor. Delilah got on the phone that was on the wall beside the bar shelves and dialed a number she had written in her notepad. When the person picked up, all she said was, “It’s time, Dom.”

Adam sat there and asked, “Who’s Dom?”

As she hung up the receiver, she replied, “The town locksmith.” She dangled the keys in front of him. “Let’s go and check out the entire building. From what I heard from the chief, there are rooms upstairs that the owner used for shadier purposes. He’d rent them out nightly, as though he owned a brothel.”

He got up, followed her around the entire building, and asked, “You already spoke to the chief about buying this joint?”

She nodded as she unlocked the door to the upstairs. “Yes, he couldn’t wait to shut it down. Apparently, the owner also sold drugs. He backed me one hundred percent. When I found out from the bank what the building was valued at, I had to have it. I already have $100,000 in equity in this place.”

“I saw you talking to a lot of people at the wedding reception. How many deals did you make?”

She giggled. “Quite a few. More than I expected, actually.”

“Like father, like daughter.”

Maurice could hear their conversation and smiled at his daughter’s business acumen. He went to the kitchen to find a small miracle. It was, surprisingly, spotless. He checked the freezer and refrigerator to find them well stocked as well. Judging by the size of the previous owner, he consumed a great deal of food on a daily basis. Maurice then followed Adam and Delilah upstairs and was impressed with the size of it. There were three bedrooms, a living room, and a full bath. There was even a small kitchenette tucked into an oversized double closet in the living room.

Delilah spun in excitement. “We won’t have to stay at the Bed and Breakfast anymore. We can stay here whenever we visit our family. The interior designer will go through this place as soon as I drop off the new keys.” She extended her arms wide and said, “All of the rooms will be cleaned, hardwood floors stripped and sealed, and there will be new paint and furnishings for all the rooms. Tourist season officially begins in two weeks, so time is of the essence.”

Maurice nodded and smiled as he glanced around. “I assume she will present you with designs for the bottom floor?”

“She already did some preliminary sketches because she had been here before. They’re in my briefcase.”

He turned and went back down the stairs ahead of them. He commented over his shoulder, “I’m very impressed with this idea, Delilah. You have made your first fine investment.”

She pinched Adam’s arm in happiness as they descended the staircase. She found Dom sitting at the bar, waiting for her, and she showed him around and had him change all the locks in the entire building and gave him instructions to provide two sets of keys.

***

Myrna sat in her office at the town hall and turned her chair to stare out the window and watch the townsfolk walk the streets. She smiled and turned back to see the chief sitting in his usual seat. She had already caught up on any work she had missed while away, so she waited to see what tidbit of information he was coming to relay.

He swirled a toothpick around his mouth and said, “Tilly Hughes’s family moved out of town today. Their house is for sale. They said there were just too many memories in this town for them to ever heal.”

Myrna grimaced. “Damn it!”

“Hey, don’t worry, you’re the one who has to notify the commissioners of empty houses. Just pretend I never told you for a few days. That’ll give us time to come up with an idea or two.”

She nodded in agreement and listened as he went on: “That sister-in-law of yours is certainly a pistol, isn’t she?”

Myrna laughed aloud. “She sure is! She worked this town, and everyone is in love with her now.”

He shrugged. “Hey, she did good. She’ll also help clean this town up a little.”

Myrna glanced up at him. “I’m assuming she told you of her plan?”

The chief chuckled. “Yep, she told me at the wedding reception, and I backed her up. Nothing will make me happier than to have that place shut down and renovated for decent folk to use. Not only that, but it’s close enough to the Bed and Breakfast for tourists to walk home if they have too much to drink.”

“I just hope things go her way today.”

The chief’s eyes went wide, and he moved his head from side to side as he said, “Well, I just saw Dom the locksmith making a run to the tavern, so I’m pretty sure things are going as planned.”

“So, do you have any more town news for me?”

He shook his head. “Nope, just one question.”

“What is it?”

“Are you going to keep making cannoli at the bakery?”

She threw her pen at him and kicked him out of her office amid laughter.

***

Tom, Myrna, and Liam entered the restaurant and were directed by Robert to go into the banquet hall. The excess tables had been collapsed and stacked against the rear wall of the room. Only one large round table was set before the wedding arch. All the wedding decorations were still in place, and the ceiling was alight again with strands of fairy lights.

Tom pulled Myrna to his side as they made their way to the table. Robert explained, “Maurice made all of the arrangements with me this afternoon. He wanted some privacy for your farewell dinner.”

Myrna smiled and responded, “It’s perfect, Robert, thank you.” He left the room to see to their food as they sat down.

Tom glanced at his watch and commented, “It’s almost six o’clock. They’ll be here any moment.”

Little Liam’s fingers thrummed atop the tablecloth as he gazed around the room. “I wish the wedding never ended. It was a perfect night.”

Delilah breezed into the room, carrying an overstuffed briefcase, and her cheeks were rosy. She was smiling and rushed to their table and began babbling, “Father says tonight is the night of our farewell disclosure meeting, but we must only divulge happy surprises because, as Father says…” She glanced at Liam and continued, “Ignorance is bliss to tender ears.”

Tom chuckled and glanced at Myrna. “This ought to be good.”

Myrna looked at Delilah with a hopeful expression. “Did it happen?”

Delilah sat back and looked at all of them. “I have to wait until everyone is present before divulging anything.”

Myrna asked, “Well, where are they?”

Delilah pointed over her shoulder. “Getting drinks for all of us.”

Maurice entered the room with a serving tray slung upon his shoulder that was packed with drinks for everyone. Adam and Fran followed behind him. As he served the drinks, Adam and Fran took their seats, and Maurice sat beside Tom.

The room went silent, and Myrna could tell by Maurice’s expression that he was near bursting. He finally said, “All right, everyone. Begin.”

Myrna’s eyes went wide as everyone at the table began divulging things simultaneously, causing her mind to spin. Adam’s and Fran’s hands became animated, and Fran was jabbing at the air with her fork, and Maurice was in a fit of laughter as Delilah spoke of contracts and dating a killer, and Adam spoke of an explosion, and it went on until Myrna stood, banged her hand on the table, and yelled, “I’m pregnant!”