Heaven Preserve Us: A Home Crafting Mystery (A Home Crafting Mystery) Page 13

Maryjake nodded, then lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "I don't know what to tell you. I don't like the things, and neither does James. Are you sure those beets weren't yours, Ruth?" Her voice sounded a little rough, and something else rode in it. Anger? I wouldn't be surprised. Did she actually blame Ruth for Philip's death? "Did you drop them by early, before the exchange?"

   

  The older woman stood up. "You know I didn't, Maryjake Dreggle." She stuffed her knitting back in the bag and slipped her arms back into her long vermillion coat. "I did not bring anything here before the exchange. I did not can the beets they found in Philip's apartment. And I did not kill him."

  And with that she turned and stalked out.

  "Ruth, wait," I called, but she ignored me. I started to go after her, but the phone rang. I looked at Maryjake, and she looked at me, then pointedly at the phone. With a grimace I grabbed the phone off the hook.

  "Heaven House Helpline; I answered.

  "Um. Hi. I was wondering if you could give me some information about women's shelters in the area." The woman sounded like she was on the verge of tears but still managing to keep it together. Staying as matter of fact as possible, despite imagining all sorts of horrible things that could have happened to her, I gave her all the referral numbers I had and encouraged her to call back if she needed any more help. With great dignity she thanked me and hung up. I silently wished her well and cradled the phone.

  Ruth was long gone by then. Jude was talking in an undertone to the Chase boys in the corner, waving his arms as he described who-knew-what. Erin had finished half of her homework, or at least what she told me was half her homework, and had retired to the game room to indulge in Nardella's Treasures. Maryjake was nowhere to be seen.

  Grabbing the phone off the hook, I accessed an outside line and prayed no one would decide to call the Helpline for a few minutes.

   

  Barr was awake and itching to be out of the hospital. He sounded both tired and bored.

  Well, good, because I had a job for him. I told him about Kelly, and how I'd seen him outside Heaven House after midnight the previous night. Of course, that necessitated revealing what I'd been doing there then, so I went ahead and filled him in. He took it well, all in all, and promised to make a couple of calls to friends of his at the station to find out more about Mr. O'Connell. I thanked him profusely, so relieved to have him on my side. All evening I'd been thinking about Meghan, out on the town with this character we knew virtually nothing about, and the more I thought about it the more the sick feeling in my stomach grew. That poor woman was beset with the worst taste in men.

  I settled back and cracked open my book, feeling almost wicked for taking the time to read when I should have been doing bookwork. But I was going to see an accountant, right? So maybe I could slack on the bookwork a little. Plus, I'd had a pretty crappy week, overall. I not only deserved to read my book, but to do it in a bubble bath.

  I'd take what I could get.

  At least for five minutes, until Maryjake came back downstairs from where she'd presumably been in the office. She slid onto the chair where Ruth had been sitting earlier and let out a big whoosh of breath.

  "It's been a week, hasn't it?" I said by way of commentary.

  She gave me a look. "It's completely and totally sucked, Sophie Mae. Utterly and awfully sucked. Sometimes I feel like I'm going insane."

  "James said you had a migraine the other day."

   

  She nodded. "I get them when I'm stressed. It's like someone stuck knives in my eyes."

  "Sounds painful," I said. And a little too graphic.

  "You can't imagine."

  "Are you afraid you'll lose your job?" I asked.

  She looked horrified. "If Jude keeps HH going? I do good work, I really do. Why would they fire me?"

  "They wouldn't, of course. I didn't mean to worry you. Obviously Jude has things under control." There you go, Sophie Mae, as tactless as ever. "And I'm sure you're a great help to him."

  She snorted. "You could say that. He doesn't know much about the day-to-day business stuff."

  "Stuff like banking and paying bills and things?"

  "Philip preferred to do most of that without my help, and Jude's the same way. So I guess he's figuring all that out for himself."

  I hoped he did a better job than Philip did, or else the lights at Heaven House would be shut off within a week.

  She continued. "I mean that he needs to know about how to put together proposals for foundation funding, or how to deal with the city council and the mayor."

  "Really? I didn't know you had much contact with them."

  She fidgeted with a hangnail. "We did at first. Then the HH projects kind of slowed down, and they lost interest in what we had to say. But I think Jude can change that. He needs to understand the past interactions, though."

  No doubt. I added the city council and the mayor to the increasing list of people whom Philip had managed to alienate.

  Changing the subject, I asked. "Maryjake, what do you know about Kelly O'Connell?"

   

  "He's pretty good-looking, isn't he?"

  "I guess so. I was wondering more about his personality."

  She gave me a yeah-sure look. "He's nice. Asks a lot of questions, and he's interested in the answers, you know? Not like most guys. He and Philip spent a lot of time dinking around, talking about all kinds of stuff. Blah blab blab. I mean, I thought it was booooring, but Philip really liked him."

  Huh. I glanced around. "What about Jude?"

  "What about him?"

  "They were cousins, right? Were they close?"

  Maryjake looked skeptical. "I think Philip wanted to be close. I mean, he brought Jude out here to work with him, brought him into the foundation, actually. Jude's mother was Philip's father's sister. But the old man, Nathaniel Heaven?"

  I nodded. Philip and Jude's grandfather.

  "He was an old-school kind of guy, and he didn't like the man Jude's mother married. So he pretty much disowned her. Philip felt bad about that, and he's the one who insisted Jude should come live in Cadyville and help with HH. He's got a degree in sociology, after all, totally qualified to work in a community center like Heaven House"

  Sounded to me like he was way overqualified.

  "Anyway, he came here, from someplace out east, I don't know where, New York or New Jersey or New something-or-other. But he and Philip never got very close. It's a shame, really." She looked at her watch. "Oh, gosh, I've gotta go. Hubby's waiting."

  That surprised me. I could see James waiting for Maryjake, but I had a harder time imagining her giving a darn whether he did or not.

   

  She threw her things together and hurried out. As the door swung closed behind her, I sat back and looked around the room. Jude had returned from inspecting the Chase boys' work. Now he stood in the corner, staring at me. I met his gaze until he looked away. The phone sat there like a lump on the desk. Clangs and dings issuing from the game room indicated Erin was still playing pinball. Luke and Seth moved in and out, packing up their tools.

  I motioned Jude over. He shambled across the room to me. "Do you know much about Kelly O'Connell?" I asked.

  His eyebrows drew together. "He seems like a good enough guy.

  "Meghan mentioned that he's a financial consultant, up here to get away from the rat race in Seattle," I prompted.

  "Sounds right."

  "You don't know anything else?"

  "Not really. He showed up one day and offered to help out however he could. I suggested to Philip that he help with the books, but Philip wasn't really interested." He sighed. "And believe me, Philip could have used some help with the books."

  No kidding.

  "So what did he end up doing? Volunteer-wise, I mean," I asked.

  "Um ... now that you mention it, I'm not really sure. He was here a lot for a few weeks, and then showed up less and less frequently. He spent a bunch of time with Philip, I kn
ow that."

  Curious. Especially, since I thought Jude knew everything that went on at Heaven House.

   

  EIGHTEEN

  I EYED THE JAR of asparagus pickles that sat smack dab in the middle of Maryjake's desk. I'd forgotten to give them to her before she left. I hadn't had time to put together a snack before we had to leave to come over to the HH, and now I was feeling a little peckish.

  No. I could wait until we got home. Otherwise, I'd just have to bring Maryjake another jar.

  I repacked my book, of which I'd read a grand total of four pages, with Erin's things and began bundling her into her winter garb in order to venture back out into the brisk evening. The temperature had dropped, and there was a bite in the air that reminded me a bit of my childhood in Colorado. We might see some snow flurries before morning. Though it snowed only a few times a year in western Washington, when it did everybody went nuts. Schools closed, people avoided going to work, traffic was impossibly snarled, trees fell, and frequent power outages brought out the generators and firewood.

   

  This wouldn't be one of those storms, or at least I didn't guess so. We'd have heard about it on the television and radio for days, as weather was big news in the Northwest. After all, we had to know when to stock up on water and batteries and otherwise panic unnecessarily, and the good folks on the local news were more than happy to keep us informed of any possibility of danger.

  Boy, was I ever in a bad mood, thinking mean thoughts about anchor people who were probably nice as pie. It didn't help that I was a very tired camper after all my late nights.

  Erin snugged her hat down over her ears. Jude had agreed, at my request, to stick around and walk us out to the Toyota after my Helpline shift was over. I wasn't sure if he'd be any great deterrent for a stalker-or a killer-but I figured it'd make Meghan happy.

  The phone rang.

  "I've got it," I called. "Heaven House Helpline." "

  "Hi, Sophie Mae. Are you getting ready to go home now?"

  "Allen"

  I like it that you call me that."

  "What else am I supposed to call you? You wouldn't tell me your real name."

  "But you're the only one who calls me that. It's like a thing between us."

  Sudden fear stabbed through me. "Stop it. There is no thing between us. Leave me alone."

  "But I like you."

  "Please. Leave me alone," I whispered.

  "Oh. Gosh. You're really scared, huh. Don't be scared. I'm not trying to scare you."

  "Then go away and don't call me anymore."

   

  Erin watched me with round eyes. She scratched her nose with one mittened hand and waited. I could hear Allen's breathing through the phone line.

  "But-" he said.

  "Please" I hung up.

  Had I made things worse? I might have sent someone with suicidal tendencies over the edge. But I didn't care, not anymore. There was only so much I could handle.

  Jude looked at me kind of funny, but didn't comment at the grip I had on his arm as we went out to my truck.

  "Will you watch me drive away, see if anyone follows? Look for their license plate number?" I asked.

  His eyebrows knit together. "What's going on?"

  I glanced down at Erin, who said, "Tell him."

  "I seem to have picked up a stalker. He called right before we left. He knows where I am and that my shift is over."

  Jude opened my truck door and boosted Erin in. "Get in and lock the doors. I'll stay behind you all the way home, see if anyone follows."

  Relief eased the muscles in my neck. I slid into the driver's seat. "Thank you. That makes me feel a lot better."

  "No problem. Just wait until you see my headlights come on before you go. It's that little Civic over there." He pointed.

  "Okay. Hey, what about the Helpline?"

  He patted his pocket. "Already forwarded to my cell phone. And I keep the referral numbers with me all the time. It'll be fine."

  "You okay, Bug?" I asked as we waited for Jude's headlights to flare. I regretted talking Meghan into letting her come with me. She'd been right: Erin would have been better off staying with Tootie.

   

  Beside me, she nodded.

  "Not scared?"

  She shook her head, but I could see her jaw was clenched. "I thought you said this guy wasn't scary."

  "I'm just being careful."

  "Right" That one word overflowed with a combination of fear and anger.

  The ride home was uneventful. The only headlights I saw behind me were Jude's, and he hung way back, giving anyone else who might want to follow me a chance. Allen either wasn't waiting on my route home, or else had seen Jude was following me and decided not to play. Either way, Erin and I hustled from my truck into the house. I waved to Jude to let him know we were fine, then shut and locked the door behind me.

  The house had an empty feel. Meghan and Kelly were still out.

  "Want a snack?" I asked Erin.

  "No," she said, hanging her coat on the hall tree. "I'm going to bed."

  "Hey, I'm sorry, okay?"

  "Whatever. Goodnight."

  For the first time, I got really good and angry at Just-Call-MeAllen.

  Mandy Koller had left a message on my voicemail. A client had canceled, and she had an appointment available at 9:40 the next morning. I called back, reached her voicemail, and left her a message saying I'd be there.

   

  Ah, the electronic age.

  I sat on the sofa and tried to read my book but couldn't concentrate worth a darn. Meghan wasn't exactly late, since she hadn't told me when she'd be home. I'd decided to go downstairs and use some of my nervous energy to get some work done when she and Kelly walked in.

  "You guys have a good time?" I asked.

  They looked at each other, all starry-eyed. This time it didn't strike me as all that cute.

  "We had a great time," Kelly said. "We're going for a picnic with Erin tomorrow."

  "Um, in case you hadn't noticed, it's winter. And raining. And possibly going to snow."

  "I've reserved a yurt up in the mountains. The Forest Service lets you use them. It's covered, and there's a woodstove. Even if it's pouring down rain, we'll be snug as a bug. Or as three bugs."

  Good Lord. A yurt? Ack.

  But more importantly, Meghan and Erin off for a secluded picnic with someone who could very well be a wacko? No way.

  Meghan smiled.

  I tried not to scowl. "Sounds grand."

  Then I made sure to infringe on their romantic goodnights like a nosy mother, until finally Kelly gave Meghan a big smacker of a kiss and opened the front door.

  "See you later, Kelly," I called.

  "See you," he said, and left.

  Meghan turned on me with a glare. "What was that all about?"

   

  "Don't go on that picnic tomorrow. Please."

  Her head jerked back a fraction in surprise. "Why not?"

  "I don't trust him."

  "I don't get it. You don't even know him."

  "Do you?"

  "Know him? More than you do, that's for darn sure, and I plan on learning a lot more."

  It didn't matter. Serial killers were known by their neighborsand their wives, for that matter-as nice guys. This tack wasn't going to work.

  Taking a deep breath, I said, "I saw him outside Heaven House last night."

  She looked at me like I was nuts.

  "Late. Like, one a.m. He was on the street, hiding behind a truck and watching me in the window."

  "The window. Of Heaven House."

  "Uh, yeah. Upstairs." I held up my hand to stop her before she got started. "I was there to check out the threats Philip told me he'd received. I had to find out more, I just had to. You understand that, right?"

  Her eyes narrowed. "How did you get in?"

  "I kind of borrowed your key," I said in a small voice.

  "You stole my key
to break into Heaven House and snoop through, what, Philip's office? And while you were there saw Kelly, or at least think you saw Kelly, on the street? It might not have even been him, right? But if it was, he lives very close to there. Did I mention that? Maybe he couldn't sleep. Maybe he was taking a walk. One of the reasons he moved here in the first place was so he could walk around at night without worrying about getting mugged."

   

  I chose not to mention the Cadyville Creep right then.

  She continued. "Because of that you don't want-what is it exactly that you don't want? For me to see him anymore? Is that it? Are you jealous? That I've finally met someone I get along with as well as you get along with Barr?"

  "Of course not! Meghan, I-"

  "You know what? I don't want to hear it. I'm going on that picnic with Kelly tomorrow, and Erin is coming with us. End of story."

  She turned and stormed upstairs. Meghan had been mad at me before, but never like this. I'd only been trying to protect her, get her to slow down a little until we could find out more about this O'Connell character, but instead I ended up with a sick tremor in my stomach and no hope of going to sleep anytime soon.

  I worked until almost four a.m. before finally tumbling into bed and sleeping like the dead. When I stumbled down to the kitchen at eight, showered and dressed but feeling more than a little gritty and light-headed, Meghan stood staring out the window at the wet yard, coffee cup in hand. It hadn't snowed after all.

  I hesitated. "Where's Erin?"

  "Out watching them string wire on the chicken coop."

  The Chase brothers had apparently begun work already. No doubt they'd be done by the end of the day-unless, of course, they had to leave for one of Jude's many projects at HH.

   

  "When do you go pick up Barr?" Meghan asked. Her tone was strained, but she was obviously trying to act like things were back to normal between us.

  I was game. "Noon"

  "Before we go, I'll make sure Erin's room is cleared out enough for you to move him right in."

  "Okay. Thanks."

  "No problem."

  I poured a cup of coffee, and we sipped in silence for a few minutes.

  "Did you get any sleep?" Meghan asked.