Fran Rizer - Callie Parrish 05 - Mother Hubbard Has a Corpse in the Cupboard (26 page)

“Long time no see.” Now, if I had to think forever about what to say to a man who’d chased me, woo’ed me, and finally won his way into my heart and bed only to drop me like the proverbial hot potato, it couldn’t have been any worse than that.

He reached his arms out as though expecting me to fall into them for a warm embrace. I didn’t. Took a step backward instead.

Normally, I’m only rude to my brothers and impolite to them just when they give me reason, but my response to Dr. Donald’s intended hug was, “What do you want?”

“To apologize.” He had a sheepish grin. “I heard that Rizzie’s grandmother died, and I know you’ve had a hard time.”

“Yes, Maum died after going through a medical hell, Tyrone may be in trouble, and my brother Frankie got shot last night.” My words tumbled out on top of each other. “Oh, and somebody keyed my car and punched holes in the top that can’t be repaired. I had to special order a new ragtop, and I’m praying the weather stays clear because I’ve got the holes patched with bandages until the new top comes in. Let’s see. Is there anything else? I interrupted a break-in at Middleton’s and wound up bleeding all over the emergency room. Yes, life has been exciting since you dumped me. How about you? Just moved right on to your next conquest?”

“I saw a report on the news about the caskets at Middleton’s being ruined, but I didn’t know about Frankie. What’s going on? Jane accidentally poisoned him that time using the bug spray in place of aerosol shortening. Did she shoot him, too?”

“No. It was an accident.”

“Well, for your information, I haven’t moved on to another woman. I told you that I’m over skirt-chasing. I just got scared that we were moving too fast. I guess I’m commitment-shy.” He grinned that handsome smile of his. “Are you going to give me another chance?”

“Not right now,” I answered softly.

He actually had the gall to look shocked. Dr. Donald Walters fully thought he could just waltz back into my life when he’d been gone during a time I really needed somebody. One reason I’d wound up with him after Bill and Molly’s wedding was because he’d been around during most of my crisis periods since I’d met him. These past few weeks, he’d ignored me even when I tried calling him, and now he wanted to just pick up where we’d left off. Having spent some time with Patel made turning down Dr. Donald easier, but knowing Patel was gone made rejecting Dr. Donald harder.

“I don’t know. I need time.” Spiteful. That’s how I felt. “And before you get back with me beyond a casual friendship, you’re going to need some blood-work.”

“What?”

“I don’t care what you say about being scared of commitment. I think you saw someone else you wanted, and it didn’t work out, so you’re back here after me. You’re a doctor. You ought to know what I’m talking about.”

“STDs?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve changed,” he accused.

“I’m just getting smarter.”

An instrumental version of “In the Garden” announced that someone was at the front door.

I could have guessed the lady standing there was Mrs. Sparrow. Tall and slender with a high-dollar multi-blond color job on a pricey haircut, she wore pale cream-colored slacks and a sweater that probably cost more than I had invested in my entire wardrobe. Heck, more than the value of all my clothes and Jane’s added together.

Dr. Donald stepped around her to get out the door, but not before he checked her out with a big smile.

“Welcome to Middleton’s,” I said. “I’m Callie Parrish. May I help you?”

“I’m Robin Sparrow,” the woman said and broke into a loud laugh. She turned toward the man with her and tittered, “I hate saying that. I should have thought of how it would sound before I married him.”

“I’ve told you how to solve that. Call yourself Robbie.” Stereotypes seem like a form of bias to me, so I seldom use them, but this handsome man’s appearance was a perfect typecast for a gigolo tennis pro. He wasn’t wearing tennis shorts, but his slim white slacks, fitted navy blue knit shirt, golden tan, sandy hair, and super white teeth all fit the picture.

“Robbie doesn’t really suit me. The kind of woman I am should have a name like Tiffany or Paris.”

“Absolutely right,” the man agreed, and then turned to me. “I’m Mickey Thompson. We’ve come to see Dr. Sparrow.”

“Yes, right this way.” I led them to Slumber Room B and stood toward the rear of the room because I wanted to give them privacy. If either of them had seemed the type to become hysterical and try to grab the body, I would have stayed closer. I assumed Mr. Handsome was the widow’s brother. They kind of matched each other. Who knew? Maybe his hair was natural, but I’d bet their blondness came from the same brand name. Not that I’m criticizing. I change my own hair color about as often as my mood varies.

They talked softly, which was fine with me. I didn’t care what they said, and I much prefer the quiet ones to those who wail and scream in grief. They have that right, but it’s my responsibility to comfort them, and I always worry someone will have a stroke or heart attack. Not so in this situation. These two were much younger than many of our mourners, both appeared in great physical condition, and neither seemed very distraught. Of course, exteriors can be deceiving. Some people don’t show their emotions as much as others.

Dalmation
! I was thinking about all this when I looked up and got such a shock that I almost fainted.

He was kissing her.

Not a brotherly kiss.

As long as I’ve worked at Middleton’s I’d never before seen anyone slip the tongue to a widow while standing beside a man’s casket.

Did they not know I was standing in the back of the room? Or was I so insignificant to them that they didn’t care?

After what seemed like forever, they broke off sucking face and walked over to me.

“It’s fine,” Mrs. Sparrow said. “Didn’t Mr. Middleton say you’re the cosmetologist? You did a good job.” She opened her expensive purse, pulled out a five dollar bill, and thrust it at me.

“No, thank you,” I said, barely managing not to spit out the words.

“Oh, go on and take it,” the man said. “They probably don’t pay you much.”

If I hadn’t figured Otis or Odell would find out, I’d have had a sharp answer to that, but I’ve been working hard at controlling myself since I lost my temper with Frankie at the emergency room. I escorted them to the front door. As “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” began, the man handed me a business card.

I couldn’t keep from laughing before I had the door closed behind them. Mr. Tongue’s card offered tennis lessons at the St. Mary Country Club.

• • •

Jane and I have been friends so long that I think of her as the sister I didn’t have. I swear, there are times that our minds work together just like they say happens with twins, though I don’t know too much about that. Otis and Odell are different, and I don’t know how alike Miss Nina and Miss Nila were. Anyway, right when I was thinking of calling Jane, she called me.

“Have you heard? Frankie’s going home today. Your dad called and invited me to ride with him and Mike to pick him up. They asked if I wanted to stay over at their house for a few days with him.” She sniffled. “Why do you think that is? Do they want me to take care of him while he gets better because I made him get hurt?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Honest, I almost screamed at her. “First off, you didn’t hurt Frankie. He acted like an idiot.”

“It wasn’t his fault. He was drunk.”

“Good grief! Your hormones must still be out of whack for you to think that. He wasn’t drunk when he started drinking, and Frankie knows he doesn’t have any sense when he drinks. So far as taking care of him, Mike and Daddy can do that.” I giggled. I felt a little guilty to laugh about it, but it wasn’t like my brother had a broken leg.

I stopped with the giggle. “They’re trying to be nice to you if you want to be with him. You can’t expect them to ask you if they can bring him to your place, can you?”

“No, I guess not. I think I’m going to take them up on it and spend a few days there. Maybe I can help Mike with your dad, too.” My brothers and I wouldn’t admit it, but since Daddy’s heart attack, he’s begun acting older and needs more help around the place.

“Just wanted to let you know where I’ll be, but I’ll have my cell phone if you need me.”

“Okay. I’m glad you let me know that Frankie’s going home from the hospital, and I’ll talk to you later.” I was ready to say, “Goodbye,” when Jane interrupted.

“Have you been listening to the radio?”

“No, why?”

“The sheriff is having a press conference this afternoon. They’ve identified the dead man you made me sit by at the fair.”

“I didn’t
make
you sit by a dead man. He was behind you, not beside you, and I didn’t know the body was there when we sat down.”

“Yes, and because you sat me by a corpse, you got to date that cool Mr. Patel.”

“Well, he’s left town now, and I’m all by myself again.”

“I may be by myself if Frankie blames me about the baby and for shooting himself.”

“Do you really want to be with Frankie? He’s my brother, but you must love him a lot to want to marry him.”

“That’s part of the problem. I’m not sure I want to marry Frankie. I’m not sure I want to marry anyone, but then, sometimes I’m afraid I’ll be all alone when I get old.”

“Been there. Done that. We’ll talk about it later. Did they say if the body from the fair was someone local or was it really a midway worker?”

“I don’t know. Just listen to the radio or watch television at one o’clock.”

23

Sheriff Harmon didn’t do a whole lot of public relations, so when Odell told me the press conference was being held in front of the sheriff’s office and I could go over there if I wanted, I went.

Wayne stood on a podium in full uniform with a dozen microphones fanned out in front of him and a group of fourteen deputies at parade rest behind him. All of them, including the sheriff, with tasers and semiautomatic pistols visible in holsters at their sides. For just a moment, I wondered if I should get a taser. I did seem to be in the way of trouble more than my share of the time.

The mayor introduced Wayne. This was big stuff.

“We’ve been blessed to live in St. Mary, a town without known gang activity,” Wayne began, “but we have seen a recent increase in vandalism, theft, and other evidence of possible gang involvement. The Jade County Sheriff’s Department is implementing a four-point plan to address these concerns.

“First, increased control of access in and out of the county and especially the town of St. Mary. This is because I feel that a lot of the problem is coming from outside our county. Second, stepped up crackdowns on drugs and DUIs. Third, greater focus on any gangs that might be roaming Jade County and soliciting our youth. Fourth, we will shut down any businesses that are selling alcohol to underage drinkers.

“My purpose today is to encourage our citizens to be alert to what goes on around them and to urge you to help us. If you see something that’s suspicious, we need you to call—not videotape the event on your cell phone or stand around rubbernecking.

“We are also looking into adding more surveillance cameras and taking whatever steps are needed to prevent crime.”

“What about that kid shot at the fairgrounds? We heard he’s been ID’ed.” A voice called from the crowd.

“Yeah, was that gang warfare?” A different voice.

“The victim at the fairgrounds has been identified as twenty-three-year-old Leon Pearson from out-of-state. His death is still under investigation. After the inquiry is completed, the full results will be made public.”

“What about the doctor?” Yet another voice from the group.

“That remains under investigation, also. When it’s completed, we’ll release a full report. Until then, we can’t discuss it.”

“Are the two murders related?”

“That’s one of the possibilities, but I can’t confirm that at this point.”

“Can you tell us how Pearson was identified?”

“A citizen came forward and gave us enough information that we were able to locate his family and identify him through fingerprints.”

“Then his prints were on file? He’d been in trouble before?”

“That information will be released when the investigation is completed.”

Wayne looked at his watch with a relieved expression. “That’s all for today. I’ll schedule another press conference when we have more information to release.”

He ignored the reporters shouting additional questions and walked off the dais resolutely. I knew he was disappointed not to be able to announce more, but progress of the cases was not where he wanted it to be, and Wayne firmly believes that releasing info before its time impedes investigation and makes prosecution more difficult.

I was ahead of Wayne getting inside the sheriff’s department. His clerk is used to me showing up and waiting for him if he’s not in. She let me go on into the office, and I was waiting for him when he came in. He sat down behind his desk. Disappointment all over him.