Death of a Pumpkin Carver (6 page)

Hayley huffed and puffed as she tried keeping up with her daughter, Gemma, while they hiked the back road behind the Kebo Valley golf course. It was a dark and dreary Saturday morning, foggy, cold, and drizzling rain. But Hayley was determined to drag herself out of bed, pull on her sweats, and get out the door because she was in desperate need of some exercise after gorging on pizza for dinner and staying up late polishing off all the popcorn and candy they had brought home from the Criterion Theatre while watching
Rosemary's Baby
, a thriller starring Mia Farrow as a young New York City wife whose actor-husband makes a deal with a satanic cult to bolster his career in exchange for impregnating his wife with the devil's spawn.

The plot sounded ridiculous to the kids but they were jumping and screaming by the second hour.

Hayley had dragged along Leroy on their morning walk because he too was in need of some physical exercise. He was not exactly happy to be out in the rain trotting alongside her while she pulled him along by his leash.

“I dread going in to work today,” Gemma groaned as she picked up the pace.

Hayley had to break into a run to catch up to her.

“Because it's Saturday?”

“No, because of you know who.”

“Has Edna done anything else besides the scheduling mishap?”

“Not yet. But it's like she's lying in wait, biding her time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike again and make me look bad. I can't stand the uncertainty and suspense.”

“Well, you should really talk to Aaron about it.”

“I think that's what she wants. If I go and complain she'll just deny it and it will make me look like a crybaby.”

Hayley spotted a black BMW racing toward them, the car's high beams cutting through the thick fog.

“That looks like Liddy's car,” Hayley remarked as it sped along the road.

Suddenly as it got closer, the BMW without warning swerved to the left, careening right for them.

“Mom, look out!”

Gemma pushed Hayley hard and she fell into a muddy ditch, yanking Leroy off his feet as his collar choked him and he let out a tiny yelp. Gemma dove after them to avoid getting slammed by the car, which screeched to a stop, pebbles and gravel on the road flying everywhere.

Gemma helped her mother get back up on her feet. Hayley's sweatpants were covered in mud as was Leroy's entire body.

The window on the driver's side slid down, and Liddy popped her head out. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Good Lord, Liddy, you nearly ran us down!”

“I did not! Why are you covered in mud?”

“Didn't you see us?” Gemma asked, picking up Leroy and petting his muddy head to calm him down.

“Yes. Why do you think I stopped? I've been looking all over for you! Why haven't you returned the four voice mail messages I left for you?”

“Because I left my cell phone home last night when we went to the movies and never bothered to check it until this morning. I saw that you called so I was just going to call you back when we got home from our hike. What are you doing here?”

“I was worried something happened to you and I know this is the route you take when you go hiking with the dog in the morning so I came out looking for you.”

“What's wrong, Liddy? What's happened?”

Liddy took a deep breath. “Well, it's pretty bad.”

Hayley and Gemma exchanged worried looks.

“What? Has someone died? Is it Mona?” Hayley said, suddenly concerned.

“No! It's not Mona! Although it's a miracle that woman hasn't keeled over from a coronary with all the butter and carbs she consumes!” Liddy said.

“So what? Tell us!” Gemma said, more impatient than her mother.

“Well, Sonny and I went out to dinner last night at McKay's because you know how much I love their Duck Confit Spring Rolls . . .”

“The point, Liddy. Get to the point,” Hayley sighed.

“Well, who should be at the next table when we sat down but Aaron and his new lady friend.”

“Please tell me that isn't why you left four frantic phone messages and came racing out here this morning nearly mowing us down!” Hayley screamed.

“Of course it is! Don't you want to know who he's dating? It was exactly who we all suspected! And now I have hard evidence! I have an eyewitness! Me!” Liddy said, perplexed as to why Hayley wasn't reacting more to this big news.

“No, Liddy. I don't. I told you I don't care.”

Hayley would be lying if she didn't admit to herself that deep down on some level she was slightly curious to know, but she certainly wasn't going to allow Liddy and Gemma to see that.

“You can't be serious,” Liddy said, mouth agape.

“It's none of my business . . .”

“Crystal Collier!” Liddy blurted out.

Really?

Crystal Collier?

Well, truth be told, Hayley was slightly surprised because Crystal just didn't seem to be Aaron's type. She was a local lawyer with a very tough, hard demeanor, extremely ambitious, and with a habit of being very direct with people, sometimes at the expense of their feelings.

“Sonny despises Crystal because she's stolen several of his clients, but he managed to fake it and smile and say hello as we passed by the table.”

“Well, you've alerted me to this earth-shattering news so your work is done, Liddy. Thank you for sharing,” Hayley said, shaking her head, trying hard to cover her amazement that Aaron was dating an obnoxious ballbuster like Crystal Collier.

“Gemma, you work so closely with Aaron I'm shocked that you didn't already know,” Liddy said, eyeing her suspiciously.

“I did know,” Gemma said quietly.

“Why wouldn't you tell your mother?” Liddy screamed.

“Because as I've said a hundred times it's none of my business!” Hayley yelled.

Gemma turned and put a hand on her mother's shoulder. “I didn't mention it because I didn't want to hurt your feelings.”

“Gemma, there is absolutely no reason to pussyfoot around me. I can handle Aaron dating someone new. In fact, I really, truly am happy for him that he's getting out there again but . . .”

“But what?” Liddy demanded to know.

“Crystal Collier?”

“See! You're as dumbfounded as I am! How could Aaron choose a woman so aggressive and in your face? She's so not his type!”

Liddy was right.

Crystal was far from Aaron's type.

But then again how did she really know that?

Maybe Crystal was exactly the kind of woman Aaron was attracted to and it was Hayley who hadn't been his type.

That would certainly explain why their relationship didn't last.

“They look adorable!” Hayley cooed as she snapped photos of Leroy and Blueberry with her iPhone later that morning.

Gemma proudly inspected her work. Leroy was dressed as a devil with red horns and a red cape and Blueberry was a witch complete with a black pointy hat and cape.

They both looked absolutely miserable and utterly humiliated.

“I have to post these photos on Facebook immediately!” Hayley said, tapping her phone excitedly.

“Cheer up, guys,” Gemma said, rubbing the heads of Leroy and Blueberry, both of whom glared straight ahead silently planning on just how they were going to exact their revenge for this gross indignity. “You look so cute one of you just might win the contest.”

Suddenly Danny breezed through the front door. “Hey, Gemma, awesome job! They look fantastic!”

“Thanks, Dad. I think the costume choice for both of them was very appropriate,” Gemma said, chuckling.

Hayley stared at Danny, marveling at his audacity.

He still had no concept of how to act like a proper ex-husband.

You don't just show up and enter the house without even ringing the bell.

Danny caught her looking at him exasperated.

“What?”

“You do realize you no longer live here, right?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“So usually when someone doesn't live here, they don't just barge in unannounced.”

“You serious?”

Hayley stared at him until he got the message.

Danny sighed. “Fine. Next time I'll knock.”

“You going to stay for dinner, Dad?” Gemma asked as she knelt down to adjust the pointy black hat on top of Blueberry's head.

“Sorry, Gem, it turns out I have to leave town a little earlier than expected,” Danny said, frowning.

“What? Why?” Gemma moaned.

“Something's come up. But I couldn't leave without swinging by to say good-bye to my kids. Where's your brother?”

“Upstairs,” Gemma said, standing back up and hugging her father. “I don't want you to go.”

“I know. I wish I could stay too,” Danny said before calling upstairs. “Hey, Tarantino, get down here and give your old man a hug good-bye!”

“This is rather sudden,” Hayley said, more than a little suspicious. “Would this have anything to do with what happened at the Criterion Theatre last night?”

“Nothing happened at the theater. Everything is fine,” Danny sighed.

She could tell he was lying.

She could always tell when he was lying.

He couldn't completely hide his fidgeting and twitching, which was a surefire indicator that he was a complete ball of nerves.

Dustin pounded down the stairs. “You're leaving?”

“Yeah, got to hit the road. But I'll be back, okay, bro?” Danny said, cupping a hand around Dustin's neck and drawing him in for a big bear hug. “Make sure you two look after your mom. She's getting old and won't be able to take care of herself much longer.”

“That's really the last thing you're going to say before you leave?” Hayley asked, playfully slapping him on the arm.

“I'm kidding you. You've never looked younger or more beautiful,” Danny said, attempting honest-to-goodness sincerity.

Hayley was just barely buying it.

But she appreciated the sentiment.

“When are you coming back?” Dustin asked.

“I don't know. Hopefully soon. But you will be the first to know,” Danny said, kissing him on top of the head.

Hayley watched her kids.

They were making a real effort not to look sad and disappointed.

But it was tough because she could tell that's what they were feeling at the moment.

Their father was taking off again with promises to return, but they had heard those words before and so they had learned to be a bit more skeptical.

They loved having their father around, and it bothered Hayley that no matter how hard she worked to protect them from getting hurt sometimes it was just impossible.

“Hey, babe, do me a favor. Say good-bye to Uncle Otis for me, will you?” Danny asked as he headed for the door.

“You didn't see him today?” Hayley asked.

“No. He never came home from his moonshine run last night,” Danny said, shrugging.

“That's a little odd,” Hayley said.

“Not really. Sometimes after a big sale, Otis goes on a bender to celebrate and can be gone days at a time. Trust me. I know the guy. This is not unusual behavior.”

“Well, I'll be sure to tell him the next time I see him,” Hayley said.

Danny stopped at the door, turned around, and then marched back and put his hands on Hayley's face. “Can I at least get a good-bye kiss?”

“On the cheek,” Hayley warned.

Danny nodded, removed his hands, and kissed his ex-wife gently on the cheek, and then without another word, pivoted around and walked out of the house.

Hayley went to close the door when the police scanner on top of the refrigerator in the kitchen crackled to life and she heard the voice of the dispatcher. “All units, we have a 10-54 at the Ledgelawn Cemetery.”

“That's a possible dead body,” Hayley said.

Hayley's cell phone rang.

It was Randy.

She quickly answered the call.

“Hey, it's me,” Randy said. “You listening to the scanner?”

“Yes. We just heard. What's going on?”

“Apparently a few kids were playing at the cemetery and stumbled across a dead body lying face down next to a tombstone. They thought it might be a Halloween prank and the guy was going to jump up and scare them, but they kicked it a few times and it looked like a real dead body so they called 911.”

“That's awful. Do you they know who it is?”

“Yes. Otis Pearson.”

Hayley dropped the phone and ran to the door, swinging it open in time to see Danny climbing into his rental.

“Danny, wait!”