2 Digging Up Dirt (2 page)

Chapter 3

Spaz finished up in the greenhouse. She scrubbed her hands in the washtub and looked over her work. She had transplanted 500 marigold plugs into larger pots and watered them in. "Wow. I could do this forever."

A voice came from the potting room. "No reason why you can't."

Spaz snorted. "There's every reason."

Ollie walked out of the potting room carrying another flat of flowers. "Nonsense, Evie."

Spaz rolled her shoulders as if to rid herself of Ollie's words. "It's not nonsense, and don't call me that."

"Okay, is Evelyn better?"

Spaz shuddered. "God, no!"

"Then I will call you Evie. Spaz is a disgusting name."

Spaz thought. She looked at Ollie. "The rest of those idiots will make fun of me."

"Then they will answer to me."

Spaz pouted. "I like Spaz."

Ollie put an arm around Spaz and hugged her. "Well, I like Spaz too."

Spaz panicked. She shuddered and ducked. Crossing her arms and rubbing the goose bumps that rose on her flesh. She back away from Ollie, eyes squeezed shut. She forced her hands to her sides and stood with her fists clenched by her side. "Sorry. Sorry, Ollie. It took me by surprise. I didn't mean nothin'…sorry."

Ollie crossed the room and took Spaz's ice-cold hands in her own. "It's okay. I forgot to take it slowly. I know you don't touch. Come on now, it's all right. Open those beautiful blue-green eyes, Evie. Look at me."

Spaz opened her eyes. She looked into Ollie's kind face. Ollie wasn't a crack head. Ollie didn't hit. She knew this in her heart, but her brain reacted a little slower. Ollie smiled.

"Good girl, Evie. Now I'm going to hug you. You look like you need a hug."

"N-no, I don't need a h-hu-hug, I–I–"

Ollie wrapped her arms around Spaz. She stiffened, but Ollie did not let go. "It's not a death sentence, Evie. It's a hug."

Spaz calmed little by little. She let out the breath she held. "I–I know. It's me, not you. I know you're cool. I–I'll be okay. Can I go now?"

Ollie sighed and released her. "Yes, you can go. You did a good job today, Evie."

Spaz raised an eyebrow.

Ollie stared right back. 'Evelyn, you're going to be here far longer than the boys. I will not call you Spaz for the rest of your life."

Spaz had a sad look in her eye. "You'll get tired of my crap and send me back."

Ollie smiled. "We'll see, now scoot."

Spaz ran to the house and slammed her bedroom door. She dashed the tears from her eyes with her fists. She took a deep breath. "Dumb old woman."

Spaz pulled the doo–rag off her head. She stripped down to her skin. The hot spray of the shower beat down on her head. She thought about what was to come. She was about to violate her probation. She was about to commit a crime. She'd be kicked out of the Olive Branch program, and sent away from here. Ollie would hate her.

She slapped the handle to off, and stepped out of the shower. "Only if I get caught." She threw the damp towel in the hamper. "I don't plan on getting caught."

Spaz shimmied into her itty-bitty mini skirt and pulled on fishnet stockings. She fired up her computer. Carefully, she dabbed on her makeup. While she outlined her lips, Spaz logged into the chat room Woody the Pimp had told her about. She fluffed her hair and let it air dry.

Scrolling down the list of perverts looking for young girls; Spaz looked for Hunnicut's avatar. "Darn. Not on yet." She went to her closet and pulled out a tight knit top. She squeezed the hot pink scrap over her breasts. Spaz put a ring in her belly button and flicked the pink, dangling stone. "Nice touch, Evie…no Kelli. Kelli Ann Riley, high school cheerleader. Rah-rah."

Back at the computer, Evie finally found what she was looking for. "Bingo."

An avatar of a young blond boy with a lot of teeth smiled from her computer screen. "Hmm,
bigdaddy
. You are so lame, old man."

Spaz baited
bigdaddy
with her description. She told him she was bored and her folks were never home. No one understood her. She loved to party. No, she didn't have a boyfriend. The boys her age were all so immature.
Bigdaddy
bought in to her hook, line, and sinker. He said he understood her. His parents ignored him too. He could show her a good time. He asked if she drank. He asked if she smoked bud. She said yes to both. He asked her age and where she lived. She told him she was a fourteen-year-old virgin and lived in Burlington.

Spaz could almost hear his heavy breathing through cyberspace. Not wanting to lay it on too thick, Spaz ended their heated encounter. He wanted to meet her, Said he'd show her a great party spot.

Spaz told him she'd be at the lion fountain at Echo Lake Park in Burlington at five, before the concert in the park. She posted a picture of herself in not much else but her skin.

Spaz looked at her watch. "Three-ten. Just enough time to get there and set up." She picked up the phone.

"Detective Williams? This is the girl you talked to at the alley, Spaz."

"Oh–oh
,
" Big Mike thought as he scrambled to find a pen. If this girl was calling, it was important. "Yes, I remember you. How may I help you?"

"Well, you told me to call if I remembered anything." She rubbed her sweaty hands on her skirt.

"Yes I did."

"I want to know if you got anyone you can trust who can take pictures. No one else can know. I think the guy who killed Amy might meet me at Echo Lake Park today at five."

Mike exploded. "You will not! I told you kids to stay out of this. We're talking murder here! I will not put you out there to get hurt or killed."

"Mr. Williams, you need me. I need to find out what happened to Amy. I am going to the park. If you want to be in on this, be there with a camera. You want the dirt on this guy, be cool about it. Sit on the bench by the lion bubbler. Bring a wife and kids. Bring a dog. But don't look like a cop."

She hung up the phone. Detective Mike Williams stared at the phone. He looked at his watch. Less than two hours. Wife and kids? Camera. Dog. Dog! He looked out the kitchen window and saw his neighbor turn out his Golden Retriever, Roscoe.

"Hey Rick, do me a favor, would you?"

Chapter 4

Spaz tugged her mini into place. She sat on the bench pretending to read.
When did I last turn the page?
She flipped the page and glanced at her watch. Ten minutes to go. Where was Pone's father? She sighed. "You've been on your own all your life, Spaz. Why should it be any different now?" She fidgeted on the bench. Wetting her finger, she touched the page and saw an African American man and his dog come puffing across the park. Stunned, she put down her book.

Mr. Williams was dressed in a pair of sweats and carrying a backpack. He wore earphones and had a dog leash in one hand. He looked as different as a cop could look. She almost laughed. A Golden Retriever trotted at his side. He stopped about ten feet from where Spaz sat. He bent at the knees and panted along with the dog. "Good boy, Roscoe. How 'bout if we sit a while?"

He rubbed the dog's ears and limped to the bench. He plopped down next to Spaz and proceeded to open his backpack. The dog sat in front of him waiting. He pulled out a dog treat. The Golden snapped the bone out of his hand. He lay at Mike William's feet chomping on the bone.

Spaz smiled when a little boy walked up to pet the dog. A glance at her watch showed a few seconds after five. She stood and walked toward the lion bubbler. Two children were in line in front of her. She saw Detective Williams pull an iPod out of his pocket and fiddle with it.

Mike pulled the digital camera out of his pocket. It looked like he was adjusting his iPod, but he was focusing in on the lion bubbler where Spaz stood in line. Roscoe put his chin on Mike's knee. Mike rubbed his ears. Roscoe settled at his feet.

A man appeared in the lens of the little camera. Mike put in the earphones. They were part of a tiny microphone attached to the camera. He could hear everything within fifteen feet. Kids screeched and Roscoe panted. Mike adjusted the white noise so he could focus on the people in line. The snick of the camera taking a picture sounded loud in his ears. A man jogged in from the parking lot. Dressed in shorts, a white polo shirt, and a sweatband, he could have come from a tennis club or a car.

The man jogged up to the bubbler and took his place in line. A mother shooed her kids away. Spaz bent to drink. Mike clicked the camera. The man stared at her bum. The mini crept up the backs of her legs. Mike felt rage build inside as the man bent to tie his shoe. Spaz stood up and so did the man. Big Mike tried to hear them speak.

He heard Spaz say, "Kelli."

The man smiled and turned toward Mike. Mike froze as he saw the man's face. Frankie Hunnicut. Hunnicut stood laughing at something Spaz said. Mike clicked the camera as fast as he could. Spaz took something from Frankie. A card. A business card. Go figure. Frankie leaned in toward Spaz. She put a hand on his chest and backed up. She stepped backward so Mike snapped a great shot of Frankie's hand on Spaz's shoulder and his face looking directly into the camera. Frankie suddenly froze. Mike calmly put the camera in his pocket and leaned back on the bench. He closed his eyes as if taking in the sun. Roscoe growled long and low. Mike opened one eye and blinked. Both Spaz and Hunnicut were gone!

Mike stood and looked around the park. Mothers strolled with their children. Two boys played Frisbee with a dog. Kids played on swings. More kids hovered by the lake, but no Spaz.

Mike swung his head toward the parking lot. He saw the back of a Lincoln Navigator as it backed up. Mike raised the camera. He got a picture of the license plate. He grabbed Roscoe's leash. Picking up the backpack, he rushed toward the parking lot.

Pone yelled from across the parking lot. "Hey, Dad!"

Mike had the car door open. Roscoe jumped inside. Mike threw the backpack on the floor.

"Hey, Dad, where are you going?"

"Just what I need," Big Mike grumbled. He started the car and the rear doors popped open. Pone jump in the back, followed by Cash, Bean, and Shroom.

Big Mike slammed the car into reverse. "Close the damn doors!"

The boys slammed the doors and Big Mike jammed the car into "Drive." He burned rubber as he sped out of the parking lot. He turned right on Route 36. The green light held for him. He bumped over the railroad tracks and through the light. The Navigator was nowhere in sight. Hoping Hunnicut was heading home. Mike stayed in the right lane and drove out of town.

The Hunnicut estate sat settled into the hills of the lower Kettle Moraine. Glaciers left deposits over the countryside, which made for beautiful rolling hills. Locked gates kept everyone out. Mike pulled to the side of the road. Bean pulled binoculars out of the open backpack. Big Mike grabbed them. He watched the Navigator drive around to the back of the mansion.

Pone leaned forward. "Why are you following Hunnicut?" He patted the retriever's head. "And what's Roscoe doing here?"

Mike lowered the binoculars. "He's got Evie."

Shroom leaned forward. "Evie?"

Bean gripped the seat. "Spaz? Hunnicut has Spaz? How? Why?"

Pone touched Big Mike's shoulder. "Dad?"

Shroom looked confused. "Evie?"

Big Mike slammed his hand on the steering wheel. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way. She told me she'd wouldn't go with him."

Bean leaned forward. "She did this on purpose."

Shroom flopped back in the seat. "What are you all yapping about? Who the hell is Evie?"

Bean looked at him. "Evie is Spaz's real name. That guy she left with is the one we think killed the dead chick in the alley. So Spaz just used herself to get the bad guy to take her home."

"So? Ain't that what hos do? Maybe she's hookin' on the side, yo. Let her be. Maybe she's just kickin' it with the rich guy for a bit."

"Geez, for a smart guy you are so stupid. She's going after the murderer herself, moron. She's on a suicide mission!"

Shroom shrugged. "Ain't that what we're doing? Trying to get to that rich guy?"

Pone straightened. "Ahem! Shut up, Shroom." He pointed to his father.

Big Mike scowled. "I am not hearing right. What was that?"

Shroom threw off Pone's hand. "We're going to pretend to be lawn guys, and then look around for clues."

Big Mike closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. Staring down the four boys, he said, "Look. I will
not
allow you to take this case and turn it into a free-for-all! You will obey me in this. So far, we've dug up enough dirt on Franklin Hunnicut to label him a suspect. We do
not
have enough evidence to make an arrest. I'll turn what evidence I have over to the police department. You will go back to the Olive Branch and follow your programs. Do I make myself clear? As of now you are off the case."

All four boys moaned. Pone pleaded with his dad. Nothing changed. Big Mike drove them back to the garden center. Not one of them spoke. They piled out in the driveway and Mike drove away.

Cash spoke first. "Now what?"

Pone looked at the ground. "I guess we are out. We have to–"

"Get Cash's truck." Shroom stood with his arms crossed. He wore a stubborn look on his face.

"No way, Shroom. My dad said–"

"Your dad said we're off the case. He said nothing about not investigating."

"That's what he meant."

"I don't know what he meant. I'm getting a garden caddy and I'm going back to that rich guy's place."

Bean stepped forward. "I'm going, too."

Cash jiggled his keys in the air. "It's my truck. I can drive wherever I want."

Pone put a hand on Cash's arm. "No, Cash, listen to me!"

"Like hell I'll listen. You diss me for only thinking of myself. Well, now I'm thinking of Spaz. You should be too. That murderer has her locked up. Right now he's doing God knows what to her. And you're afraid of your daddy? Go to Hell, Pone. I may go back to jail, but I don't give a damn." He spun and stomped toward his truck.

Bean and Shroom ran to the garden shed. They pulled out two caddies. They grabbed gloves, boots, and tool belts. Pone stood for one more second and ran to the house. He snuck in the back door and went to his room. He grabbed do-rags and bandanas, two ball caps, and sunglasses. He also grabbed a pair of cargo shorts, a camera, and an old pair of Chucks.

By the time he made it to the parking lot, Bean and Shroom were ready. Everything was in the back of Cash's truck. Shroom looked over his shoulder at Pone. "What now? What do you want, daddy's boy?"

"Shut up, Shroom. I got some stuff to turn us into lawn guys." Pone gave Cash the shorts and tennis shoes. He piled the do-rags and hats on the tailgate. He grabbed the backpack and put the digital camera inside. He looked each boy in the eye. "You guys got your cell phones?"

They all nodded.

"If any of us get into trouble, call 911. Got it?"

They nodded again.

"If one of us finds Spaz, we call the others, right?"

Nods all around.

"All phones on vibrate." They each checked their cell phones.

"Okay then. We're ready."

"Uh, not quite." They all turned to Cash. "You guys know I'm the one who knows the layout of the land. I'm also the one who knows the house. I made some notes on how I think we should do this. Are you all willing to go with what I say?"

The three just stared at him.

"Come on, you know I'm right on this. How 'bout it, Bean?"

Bean swallowed. "Uh, I guess I'm good with that."

"Pone? Are you in?"

Shroom sighed. "You sure you can get us in?"

"Naw,
you
are getting us through the gate. I'm getting us into place once we're in."

"Oh, then I'm okay with that. Shroom, you good with that?"

Shroom shook his head slowly. "White boy gonna get us killed. You know that, right?"

Pone spit. "Yup. Probably. You got something better to do or what?"

Shroom looked up and gave a half-smile. "Naw, man, I don't." He held out a fist and they bumped knuckles.

They jumped into the truck and Cash took off. He pulled a piece of paper out of his shirt pocket. "Here's how I got it worked out."

He handed the paper to Pone. Pone looked it over and grinned. "Hey, this ain't half bad, white boy."

Cash rolled his eyes. "You too with the 'white boy' thing? I think I liked 'smart ass' better."

Pone raised a brow, and Cash smiled. "Less racial. Besides, that's what you call bean brain back there."

Bean smiled. "Who, me? I'm black Irish. I'm closer related to Pone than you are."

Pone grabbed his heart. "Spare me."

Cash rolled his eyes. "Bite me."

Shroom smacked his arm. "Geez."

They laughed. Pone said, "Okay, enough. It says here, the side gate is no problem. It has one of those security number pads on it. Shroom says he can get past it. The gate also has a security camera."

Shroom grinned. "I'm an expert at getting under security cams too. I'll take the side gate."

"Good. You will then take a right. Go until you see a greenhouse. Along side is a cottage where the gardener lived. There is a shed next to it. We'll all meet there. Trim hedges on your way there. Got it?"

"Yup."

"Now, Bean. You, Cash, and I will go through the front gate. I'll take the weed whip and do the rocks up the drive. Cash, you park in front and see if the girl you know is home. Try to get an invite inside. Bean, work your way around the hedges by the house. We'll meet in the back and work our way to the greenhouse."

Cash took over. "I'll drive down the service road after I check out the house. I'll meet you all at the greenhouse. First, I want to see if Spaz is inside. If Val's old lady is at home, I doubt if Spaz is there. I thought Val said she was going somewhere. That leaves the gardener's house or the shed. No one moves until we all meet there. Okay?"

They all nodded.

Cash pulled off the road. They watched the camera rotate in a half-moon at the gate's opening. Shroom jumped out of the truck. He dodged and slid past the corner post. He put a screwdriver to the key pad on the gate he laughed.

Pone yelled. "Shroom, hurry up. Get out of there!"

Shroom looked over his shoulder. "It's fake, man! Look at this! It's one of them 'Scare Crow' phony key pads!" He checked the camera and dodged toward the truck. He grabbed the sledgehammer. He waited for the camera to rotate away. Shroom jumped back to the gate. He lifted the five-pound sledgehammer and slammed it down on the lock.

Cash laughed. "Hey, that gate is hanging on its hinge like my last drunken prom date hung on my arm!"

Shroom grunted. "Too much information, man."

"No, man, that is a compliment. You're a genius."

Shroom grinned ear-to-ear. "That's why they pay me the big bucks."

Pone jumped over and grabbed the sledgehammer. "You just committed B & E, pal. So don't go all big and bad on us. We are not even close yet. Set that gate up and get your stuff." He looked around. "Get going, Shroom, and act like a lawn guy!"

Shroom hunched his shoulders. He grabbed the caddy. Twisting his ball cap to the side, he strolled through the gate. Everyone else piled in the truck.

Cash pulled up to the main gate. Pone went crazy. "What are you doing, you moron? We're never going to get through here!"

Cash smiled. "Live and learn, little brother." Cash pushed the button on the intercom.

A tinny voice came out of the speaker. "May I help you?"

"Yeah, is Val home? I told her I'd be over today. Can you tell her Chad is here, please?"

"Of course Mr. Fitzsimmons, I will tell Valerie you are here. Come in."