She started to put the ring in her pocket then was afraid she would lose it, so she slipped it on her finger. It felt a little strange to be wearing something so intimate that didn’t belong to her, but she wouldn’t have it on long. Satisfied she was choosing everything Mama would have wanted, she closed the lid and gathered up the lingerie. The phone rang on her way to get dressed. She ran to answer, dropping the lingerie on her the bed as she picked up.
“
Hello?”
“
Miss Sadler, this is Detective Amblin. I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“
No, I was up. Do you have more news?”
He thought about the grainy footage from the gas station and then decided against mentioning it. The less she knew about the investigation until it was solved, the less she would have to worry about.
“
We’re still waiting on a report from the crime lab. If you’re going to be home for a little while, I need to fingerprint you so the crime lab can eliminate your prints from what’s gathered inside the car.”
“
I’ll be here for about another hour or so. I have to wait until at least 9:00 before the stores open.”
“
Great. I’ll be there shortly and promise not to delay your plans.”
“
Alright, see you soon.”
The minute she hung up, she began stripping off her pajamas and grabbing some clothes. By the time the police car pulled up in front of her house, she was properly dressed, hair brushed, and a half cup of coffee in her system.
She watched the two cops get out and tried to remember the older one’s name but couldn’t. She did, however, remember the other one – Detective Amblin – Detective Mike Amblin. He was tall like John, and had a good face. Strong chin, high cheekbones, steady gaze from really nice blue eyes – the kind of face that would grow even better looking with age.
She waited until they knocked then let them in.
“
Good morning, Miss Sadler. Sorry about this,” Mike said, and just as he apologized, realized he wasn’t sorry because it meant seeing her again.
“
It’s all right. I’m willing to do anything it takes to help find out who killed Daddy. Where do you want to do this? Is the kitchen okay? There’s more room on the kitchen table.”
“
Yes, the kitchen is perfect,” Mike said and followed Poppy out of the room.
Kenny eyed his partner’s face and rolled his eyes as he trailed the pair. Damned if it didn’t look like Mike was half-way attracted to the vic’s kid. That spelled all kinds of trouble. They’d have to have a little chat about conflict of interest on the way back.
Poppy watched curiously as Mike set out everything he’d brought.
“
Does it matter which hand?”
“
We’ll do the left one first,” he said, and then saw the ring as he reached for her hand. “Nice ring.”
Poppy flinched. “Oh. Sorry, I forgot it was there. It’s Mama’s wedding ring. I’m taking it to the funeral home. She would want to be buried with it.”
She slipped the ring off her finger and laid it aside. Mike felt a slight tremble as he took her hand and knew she was girding herself for another tough day.
“
This won’t take long,” he said quietly, and proceeded to print her thumb then each of her fingers before switching to her right hand and repeating the process. “You can go wash now,” he said, as he packed everything back up.
Poppy went to the kitchen sink and picked up the bar of her daddy’s Lava soap and started to scrub. It was a harsh, abrasive soap favored by mechanics and people who worked with their hands. He had used it each night to wash the coal dust from his skin and out from under his nails, but she’d never imagined she’d be using it to wash off fingerprint ink.
“
There’s coffee if either one of you want a cup,” Poppy said. “Cups are in the cupboard just above the coffee maker.”
“
I’m still working on one I left in the car, but thanks,” Mike said.
“
I wouldn’t mind half a cup,” Kenny said.
“
Help yourself,” Poppy said, and turned to reach for a towel only to find Mike standing beside her with the towel in his hands.
“
Here you go,” he said, and smiled.
Poppy smiled back before she thought and then took the towel and turned away. She dried quickly, anxious for them to be gone, and hung the towel on a door handle. Once more, when she turned around Mike was there, this time holding her Mother’s ring.
“
I would hate to be responsible for making you forget this,” he said, and dropped it into the palm of her hand. “How are you getting down town?”
“
I can promise you I’m not walking,” Poppy said.
He almost smiled again, and then realized there wasn’t any reference to yesterday that could be misconstrued as humorous.
“
If you need a ride-“
She shook her head. “A neighbor has offered me the use of her car for today. She lives at the end of the next block down.”
“
Do you want us to drop you off?” Mike asked.
Kenny stifled a snort and then downed the last bit of coffee he’d begged and set the cup in the sink.
“
No, but thank you anyway.”
Mike realized he was dragging out something that should have ended five minutes ago and knew he was going to hear about it when they got in the car.
“
Then we’ll get out of your way. Again, sorry we had to bother you.”
Poppy slipped the ring on her finger as she led the way back to the living room, then opened the door. It occurred to her that the gesture might appear as less than hospitable, but then decided it didn’t matter. They were the police and they hadn’t come for hospitality.
“
Thank you for saving me a trip to the police station.”
“
You’re welcome,” Mike said.
All of a sudden they were on the porch, shut out of the house and out of her sight.
Kenny arched an eyebrow.
“
Shut up, Kenny. Just shut up and get in the car.”
“
I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, but as soon as they got in the car, he gave Mike a look. “She’s part of a case we’re working on. Remember that.”
Mike already knew that, but it didn’t keep him from thinking he needed to protect her, even though there was no indication that what had happened to her father had anything to do with her. He glared at his partner and drove away without bothering to answer.
Chapter Six
Poppy was about to leave the house when she saw Gladys drive up. She stepped out onto the porch as Gladys honked and waved, then a shudder suddenly ran through her. She would have sworn her mama had just stepped out onto the porch beside her. It was becoming painfully clear there would be many moments like this before the reality of death soaked in.
“
Good morning, sugar!” Gladys said, as she came up the steps, rocking a seventies look in bright green patio pants and an even brighter orange top. She’d pulled her hair up into a wad on top of her head and fastened it with a giant banana clip, which made her look a little like a bleached blonde cockatoo, although it was already coming down in more places than not. She dropped the keys in Poppy’s hand.
“
Let’s go inside a minute. We need to talk.”
Poppy’s heart skipped a beat as she followed her back into the house. “Is something wrong? Did Mel know something about Daddy?”
Gladys rolled her eyes. “Oh, no, I shouldn’t have said it like that. It’s just that I’ve been getting calls from your mama and daddy’s friends all morning, wanting to know what they can do, and wanting to bring food and the like. I knew you needed to be gone for most of the day so I thought, if it was okay with you, I’d just stay here at your house and take in the calls and the food that comes. If it makes you uncomfortable to have a stranger in the house, just tell me, no thank you. It won’t hurt my feelings a bit, so what do you think?”
Poppy hugged her. “Oh Gladys, you’re not a stranger. You’re proving what a good friend you are, and I so appreciate it. I’ve already started a list. It’s on a pad in the kitchen. Please feel free to make yourself coffee or food anytime you want. I promise not to be gone any longer than I have to be.”
“
Go. Do what you gotta do and don’t worry about anything here.”
Poppy picked up the little bag with her mama’s things and slung her purse strap over her shoulder. She was out the door before Gladys could change her mind, and minutes later, driving over the Little Man, completely focused on the day ahead of her.
****
John Sadler stopped in Charlotte, North Carolina just before 8:00 a.m. to get fuel and breakfast. The day was overcast, adding to the somber mood he was in. Guilt colored every thought he’d had since Poppy’s call, which made the urgency of his trip that much worse. He was already closer to home, but it still felt like the other side of the world. All he could think about was his little sister and what she was going through alone.
As soon as he’d gassed up his truck he drove through a McDonald’s, got some breakfast to go and a large coffee and hit the I77 northbound. As he ate, he kept going over the last few phone conversations he’d had with his dad, trying to remember if Jessup had mentioned anything that might lend a clue as to who would want him dead, but nothing came to mind. All he had wanted to talk about was a new treatment for Helen, or how he thought she’d taken a turn for the better. Now it was too late to ask if anything more had been going on. He finished his coffee and tossed the cup in the floorboard of his truck and kept on driving.
The miles and the time were passing while the yellow line separating the two lanes of traffic on the interstate became John’s yellow brick road. All he had to do was follow it to get to Oz. Only there wasn’t any wizard waiting with answers at the end of this road – just a police department with a whole lot of questions.
The knot in his belly grew tighter, increasing the urge to cry, but guilt wouldn’t let him release the pain. After what he’d done to his family, he deserved misery.
His head was spinning with questions when he suddenly thought of Aaron Coulter. During John’s high school years, Aaron was the star quarterback of the high school football team. Then during his senior year he’d blown his knee, lost his chances for an athletic scholarship, and gone into his daddy’s line of business instead. That it was mostly illegal hadn’t bothered Aaron, since it was all he knew, but it had been the beginning of the end for the circle of friends he’d once had. However, John knew that if his dad had been in trouble, or pissed off the wrong people, Aaron would know.
He called information for Aaron’s number then made the call. Just when he thought it was going to go to voice mail, Aaron answered in a gruff, sleep-husky drawl.
“
It’s too fuckin’ early for chit-chat, so you better have somethin’ good to say.”
John grinned. Aaron never had been one to temper his words.
“
Hey, Aaron, it’s John Sadler. Sorry I woke you.”
Surprise shifted Aaron’s focus as he threw back the covers and sat up on the side of the bed.
“
John. Heard about your mom and your old man. Sorry as hell that happened.”
“
Yeah. Thanks. Poppy called me last night. I’m on my way home.”
Aaron rubbed the sleep out of his eyes then put the call on speaker phone, grabbing a pair of jeans as he talked.
“
I know this ain’t no social call, so what’s up?”
“
Poppy said Dad got fired last week but he didn’t tell anyone. As far as we knew, except for my mom’s health, nothing was wrong. I got to wondering, if he was in trouble because he’d borrowed money from someone then couldn’t pay it back… maybe you might have heard something about it.”
“
No man, this was a big shock to everyone. Your dad was a straight arrow. Everyone liked him.”
“
Someone didn’t,” John said. “Someone pumped three bullets in his body and threw him in the Little Man and I want five minutes alone with the bastard who did it.”
“
I hear you, man and I’d feel the same. Look. I’ll drop a few questions and see what turns, but I can’t promise anything.”
“
I appreciate it, Aaron. You know I do.”
“
Yeah, sure. I guess I’ll see you around when you get back. Tell Poppy I’m real sorry.”
“
Yeah, see you around,” John said. “If you hear anything, call me back at this number. Sorry about waking you up.”
“
No biggie. Later, dude.”
“
Yeah, later.”
The call ended. John dropped his phone in the console hit the accelerator.
****
According to the advertisement at Edison Funeral Home, they’d been in the business of burying since 1933. Poppy had seen the building plenty of times but had never been inside. There was a first time for everything.
Her gut tightened as she entered the lobby. An overpowering scent of too many flowers with an underlying scent of something medicinal went up her nose. It left her feeling somewhat uneasy, as if it was there to mask a more offensive smell.
Logically, she knew her mama’s body was here being prepared for viewing, but there wasn’t anything the undertakers could do to it that cancer hadn’t already destroyed. As sad as she was, she wouldn’t wish her mama back to suffer one second more. She had Mama’s things in the bag and the wedding ring on her finger. This was the last physical act she could do for her and she wanted to do it right.