A Flicker of Doubt (Book 4 in the Candlemaking Mysteries) (9 page)

I slapped Markum on the shoulder. “It’s
done, so there’s no use worrying about it now. Let’s call it a
night. We can figure out what our next step is tomorrow.”

He hesitated, as if he wanted to apologize
again, then started to leave the apartment “Tomorrow it is,
Harrison.”

“
See you then,” I said and
ushered him out.

The tape had been a dead end, and Becka’s
purse hadn’t been much better. All in all, it was a bad end to a
horrible day, and the only thing I wanted was to put it all behind
me. I found myself wishing Heather was out of town so I could have
her cat Esmeralda for company, but I couldn’t very well call her up
and ask her if I could borrow her cat Well, I could, and I knew
she’d gladly do it but I didn’t want to face the teasing I’d get
about it For tonight I’d have to get through it without my feline
friend. Talking to Erin, unloading on her, had done me a world of
good, but my time with Markum had negated it I considered calling
her despite the teasing I would probably get, then glanced at the
clock and saw that it was already past midnight There was no way I
could bring myself to make the call. I wasn’t looking forward to
closing my eyes, afraid of what might haunt my dreams, but I
stretched out on the couch to rest, and before I realized what was
happening, I was fast asleep.

Before we opened the candleshop the next
morning, I drove by the Gunpowder Gazette to get a copy of the
newspaper I’d found clipped in Becka’s apartment. I had my own
subscription, but I’d already recycled mine. While I detested the
owner and publisher of the paper, it was critical to my business
that I keep up with the events of Micah’s Ridge, and the only way
to do that was to read the Gazette. Thankfully the newspaper office
still had some for sale for that date, and as I was paying for my
paper, Hank Klein, the Gunpowder Gazette publisher, came out of his
office. “I thought I heard voices out here. How are you today, Mr.
Black?”

“
Fine. How’s your wife?” I
asked curtly. Wanda Klein had accused me of murdering my
competition, and her husband had run with the idea until he’d found
another suspect. There was no such thing as due process in Micah’s
Ridge, at least not when it came to the town newspaper.

“
She’s fine as well. Since
you’re here, would you mind if I asked you a few
questions?”

‘
Taking a sudden interest in
candlemaking, are you?”

He bit his upper lip. “Hardly. I’m more
interested in how you found that woman’s body in the river
yesterday. She was an old flame of yours, wasn’t she?”

“
We hadn’t dated for a
while. We woe good friends,’ though.”

Klein said, “I understand she was quite
promiscuous. Would you care to comment on that?”

I’m not a man of violence ordinarily, but
there was something smug in the editor’s tone, a look of prurient
interest that made me want to kill him. I grabbed his shirt,
startling us both, and said, “If you do one thing to smear Becka
Lane in that rag of yours, you’re going to have to answer to
me.”

I saw his gaze dart around the office, no
doubt looking for his eighty-year-old security man. It didn’t
matter, I’d said what I needed to, so I let him go.

I started for the door when he called out,
“You can’t do that I’ll own that candleshop of yours now. You
struck me.”

“
Where’s your proof? It’s
your word against mine.” -

He looked at the secretary who’d taken my
money, but she replied meekly, “I’m sorry, Mr. Klein, I was on the
phone with a customer.”

There was no one else in the room. I said,
“I’d better not see my name mentioned in your paper, either. Do we
understand each other?”

“
You can’t threaten the free
press,” he said.

“
I’m not threatening the
newspaper,” I said as I stepped closer. He flinched as I
approached, but I never laid another finger on him. Instead, I
whispered, “I sun threatening you, though.”

He jumped back at my words. “There, did you
hear that? Gladys, I’m talking to you.”

She was on the telephone again and held one
hand over the mouthpiece, “Sony, I wasn’t listening. Did you need
me for something?”

Klein looked exasperated, then stormed back
into his office without another word. I noticed Gladys letting a
smile slip past her lips before she could rein it back in.

“
Thanks,” I said.

She smiled brightly at me and said, “I’m
sure I don’t know what you’re thanking me for.”

“
Guess,” I said as I headed
for the door.

“
Mr. Black,” she called
out.

I turned, and she motioned me toward her.
When I was close to her, she said softly, “Good for you. He’s too
casual about pushing people around.”

“
I lost my temper. Believe
me, it’s something I would normally never do.”

She said, “Perhaps you should lose it more
often then.”

“
You might be right,” I said
as I walked out of the office with the newspaper tucked under my
arm. Confrontations usually left me cold and shaking, but after
this one, I felt like I could take on the world. Maybe it was
because I’d been fighting for what was left of Becka’s memory and
reputation. I meant what I’d told him, too. If Hank Klein said one
derogatory thing about Becka Lane, he was going to have to answer
to me. I’d been so furious with his interview ambush that something
nagged at the back of my mind, something about the conversation
we’d just had. It wasn’t so much what he said as it was how he’d
said it I’d heard that voice recently, but for the life of me I
couldn’t remember where.

Then it hit me.

I knew in my heart who Becka’s secret
boyfriend had been, the one who’d been trying to get her back.

It was Hank Klein’s voice on her answering
machine. I might not be able to prove it without the tape, but I
had a new lead to go on, one that I wouldn’t let go until I found
out the truth.

I couldn’t wait to get back to River’s Edge
before I dug the newspaper out I found a park bench and opened the
paper to page 8A, the same sheet Becka had cut. Pulling the folded
section from my pocket, I laid it over the paper I’d just
bought

The articles included brief snippets about
an indicted congressman, new proposed stalking laws, illegal
dumping and an unidentified woman’s body discovered in Larkspur
Lake. I got chills as I read the last article. Though there was no
mention of sleeping pills found in the woman’s system, I had to
wonder if Becka had an idea about what would happen to her. I cut
the section out with the penknife on my keychain and slipped it in
my pocket I’d have to see what Morton could find out about the
woman who drowned. Becka might have just managed to lead us to her
own killer.

Chapter 7

I had some time before I had to get back to open
the candleshop, so I decided to try to see Cyrus again. Our earlier
conversation had disturbed me greatly, and I wasn’t about to obey
my friend’s wishes. Something was going on there, something that
just didn’t feel right.

I tried the doorknob when I got to his
place, but it was locked this time. I rang the bell, and a few
seconds later a large, heavy set man wearing a pair of dress pants
and a Windbreaker answered the door.

“
Help you?” he asked
gruffly.

“
I’m here to see Cyrus,” I
said, trying to see past him inside the house.

“
He’s not accepting
visitors,” the man said as he started to close the door.

“
I’m his friend. Tell him
Harrison Black is here to see him.”

The man said, ‘I’ve got orders about you in
particular. You’re supposed to go away and not bother him anymore.
Do you understand?”

“
Just who are you,
anyway?”

The man smiled grimly. “I’m the guy between
you and this door. Now beat it,” he said, then slammed the door in
my face.

Why had Cyrus hired this bulldog to watch
his front door? I couldn’t imagine anyone threatening him, but why
else would he put such a formidable barrier up to visitors? I got
in the truck and drove around the corner, then parked behind
another vehicle that held ladders, buckets and other cleaning
equipment That was one good thing about driving a pickup truck in
neighborhoods like this one. I was usually mistaken for a craftsman
at work catering to the needs of people who spent mote time behind
their desks than they did in their homes. It was the modern,
too-often told story of suburbia. Bored housewives and
working-class folks inhabited those brightly decorated houses that
felt empty nonetheless.

I grabbed a clipboard from under the seat
and shoved a pencil behind one ear. Markum had taught me that
trick. With a clipboard in his hand and a worried look on his face,
a man could go just about anywhere without anyone questioning him.
I cut through a neighbor’s yard and made my way over to Cyrus’s
house. There had to be something going on in there that someone
didn’t want the world to know about

The windows were dirty from accumulated
grime. I pulled out my bandana handkerchief and tried to wipe away
the dirt Was that a newly built ramp covering the steps going up
from the sunken living room? Blast it all, I couldn’t see much of
anything. I was still struggling to get a good look inside when a
heavy hand landed on my shoulder.

“
You don’t take no for an
answer, do you?”

The clipboard fell out of my hand as I
realized it was Cyrus’s personal Cerberus, diligently guarding the
gate.

“
He’s my friend,” I
protested.

“
And he’s my employer,” the
man said as he started pushing me toward the front gate.

“
How’d you know I was here?”
I asked.

“
There’s new security around
the perimeter. I knew you were coming the second you stepped on his
land. Don’t come back. I won’t be so easy on you next time.” He
gave me a forced shove, and I nearly lost my balance as I stumbled
forward. By the time I’d managed to right myself, I saw that I had
crossed the property line. The goon retrieved the clipboard,
studied it a moment, then threw it at my feet

I thought about saying something, but I
couldn’t think of anything appropriate that might help my case.
Most likely he was under the impression that he’d won the war, but
all I was willing to concede was a single battle. I’d be back—I
wasn’t sure how yet—but I would slip past him and see my friend. I
considered using some of Becka’s grand to buy my way past the
bulldog, but it wouldn’t be fight when we’d earmarked that money
for looking into Becka’s murder. Besides, I wanted to beat him
fairly, not pay him off. I’d find a way, sooner or later.

As I drove to At Wick’s End, I wondered
exactly what had happened to Cyrus. Was he a prisoner to his fears,
or was there something more ominous going on there?

I got back to the candleshop and started on
the daily preparations to open it. There was a knock on my door ten
minutes till opening, but I’d learned not to ignore those summonses
in the past. When I looked up, though, I was surprised to see that
Heather was standing outside.

“
Hey, what’s going on?” I
said as I opened the door for her.

Instead of answering, she held up a bouquet
of flowers arranged in a coffee cup. It was filled with muted
shades of yellows and browns, and there was enough green finery in
it to make the contrast apparent.

“
What’s with that?” I asked,
pointing to the bouquet.

“
They’re for you,” she
replied.

“
I didn’t know you
cared.”

“
I didn’t buy them, you nit.
The floral shop dropped them off with me when they saw you weren’t
open yet.”

I took the arrangement and said, “Thanks, I
appreciate that”

Heather said, “Aren’t you even going to read
the card?”

“
Why, have you seen it
already?”

“
I resent that Harrison. I
would never do such a thing,” she added with a slight smile,
“Besides, it was taped shut and I couldn’t figure out how to peek
without you knowing it”

I laughed, then said, “Thanks again.”

“
Okay, but don’t expect me
to share the next juicy secret I uncover with you.”

“
It’s a deal.”

The look of frustration from her denied
curiosity as she left would have been worth the price of the
bouquet if I’d sent it myself.

I slit the envelope open and retrieved the
card. “Thanks for sharing last night with me. Don’t worry, your
secret is safe. Erin.” It was a sweet gesture, but I thanked the
heavens above that I hadn’t read it in front of Heather. There were
a thousand things she would have read into that message, and all of
them would have been wrong. I put the flowers on the front counter,
but tucked the card into my jeans pocket I wasn’t eager to have Eve
quiz me, either.

I called Erin’s number at work, and she
picked up on the first ring. “Thanks for the flowers,” I said.

“
You don’t mind, do
you?”

“
Why should I mind? I
appreciate the gesture.”

Erin sighed, then said, “As soon as I
ordered them, I started having second thoughts. Most men would be
embarrassed to get flowers.”

“
Well, I’m not one of them.
I should have been the one to think of it, though. You did me a lot
more good than I did you.”

“
Don’t be so sure of that,
Harrison, I needed that talk myself. And I promise, I meant what I
said. I’ll keep your secret”