Barbara Levenson - Mary Magruder Katz 03 - Outrageous October (8 page)

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CHAPTER

TWENTY-SIX

Sunday morning arrived all too soon. The sun streamed through the windows, but I had no urge to get out of bed. The bedroom was freezing. I pulled the down comforter up to my chin and was about to lapse back into a dreamless sleep when a strange sound re-awakened me. It was a ringing telephone.

I ran downstairs, remembering that I had seen a landline phone in the kitchen. Thank goodness there was caller ID. I saw Lucy’s name print out.

“Lucy, hi. What time is it? Is everything okay there?”

“It’s nine o’clock. Were you still sleeping? My God, you’re turning into Ms. Lazy. I’m jealous. I’ve been up for hours with the baby. How is it going up there? Catherine said something about a house mix-up. Are you okay?”

This was typical Lucy, asking a slew of questions before I could answer the first one.

“Yes, I was sleeping. Everything is fine now. Your house is wonderful. You won’t believe what a jerky thing I did. I got a little lost and thought Carolyn Brousseau’s house was yours and I ended up staying there for two days before I found out where I should have been.”

“I guess Carolyn was out of town.”

“Not exactly. Carolyn was murdered a year ago, right in her house. Maybe even in the bed I was sleeping in”.

“Murdered? How awful. I didn’t know anything about that. Who did it?”

“No one’s ever been caught. Some people think it was her son, Tom. Did you know him?”

“I knew Carolyn and her husband. They were friends of my grandmother. Tom must be ten years younger than I am. I just remember him as a very little boy.”

“Anyway, I love your house and this gorgeous place and I am relaxing. Do you know Dash Mellman?”

“Yes, I do. Is he part of your relaxation?”

“Not exactly, but he did help me find your house and he took me to dinner last night. He wants me to help him with a case in his office while I’m here. So what do you think of him?”

“He’s older than I am, but he was always friendly and cute. Wasn’t he engaged or something?”

“He was married briefly but got divorced.”

“Mary, don’t start a relationship on the rebound, which reminds me why I was calling you. Carlos has called me three times asking if I know where you are or if I’ve been in touch with you. I acted surprised that you had broken up and I said I didn’t know you weren’t around. He sounded just awful. Maybe you should give him a chance to explain. You know, clear the air. If you don’t like what he says, you can still end things.”

“I don’t care what he has to say. It’ll just be more lies. That night at dinner with Margarita wasn’t the first time Carlos was hanging out with Margarita. I never told you that she was at his house once when I arrived unannounced. He said she was collecting an alimony check. He was probably lying then too. Please, don’t tell him I’m up here.”

“I won’t. I’m sorry I brought up the subject. Keep in touch so I won’t worry about you.”

After a quiet morning with a quick trip to the village store, I settled in with the Sunday papers and more of Hal’s delicious cinnamon rolls.

At noon I drove back to the village to meet Riley at the mini-mart. She looked dazzling in a warm-up outfit and her hair loose from its long braid.

“Riley, you look like a high fashion model. Did you ever consider modeling?” I asked.

“When I was at the university, I was interviewed on campus by an agency. I don’t know why I even went to the interview, but the agent invited me to come to New York for a further interview and some pictures. I spent three days down there going through the process. They wanted to sign me.”

“So what happened?”

“For one thing, I met some of the models. They all smoked and looked emaciated. I had a hunch some of them were taking uppers or downers or something. I also would have had to quit school and I was having a great time. I played basketball. I also didn’t want to move to New York, so here I am tending to my dad’s stores and dabbling in politics which I’m finding I really like.”

“Vermont seems to have a magic hold on people who grow up here. Dash told me how he couldn’t wait to get back here and start his law practice,” I said.

“How did your evening go? Come on, let’s get in my car, and we can go to a Farmers’ Market and to the Flea Market. It’s a gorgeous day to take in the sights.” Riley started toward a white Subaru.

“Do you mind if we go in my car? I have Sam waiting in the back seat.”

“No, he‘s waiting in the driver’s seat.” Riley laughed. “You didn’t answer. How was your dinner date?”

We climbed into the Explorer after coaxing Sam back to his passenger area. Riley gave me directions to the Farmers Market, and we drove through two tiny villages and ended up in a field dotted with booths and awnings, each displaying a wealth of vegetables, meats, cheeses, and crafts. In the center of the field, three musicians were playing a lively song and singing in French.

“They’re from Quebec. It isn’t all that far from here. Everything sold here is from this area or made in this area. So stock up and you can have a great lunch or dinner when you get home,” Riley explained.

While I loaded a canvas bag furnished by Riley, I purchased a croissant, goat cheese, apples, tomatoes, jam, and a small pumpkin pie. My mouth watered thinking about my evening feast.

“If I keep this up, no one will know me when I get back to Miami. I’ll be the fat lawyer whose clothes don’t fit.”

We sat under a tree and listened to the music. Sam stretched out between us and lapped up some sun. He must have missed his Miami naps in the back yard.

I told Riley about my wrong house adventure.

Riley laughed so hard that other shoppers turned to stare. “But you still haven’t told me about your evening with Dash.”

“It was fun. He’s relaxing to be around, but honestly, I’m not looking for a boyfriend. I just broke up with someone who I thought was my soul mate. What is interesting is that Dash invited me to do some legal work for him while I’m here. He wants me to take over a case of his. It doesn’t sound like my kind of criminal case, just two neighbors fighting.”

“Oh, that must be Roland’s case.” Riley grimaced.

“Wow, Riley you know everyone and everything going on around here. How did you know that was the case?”

“This neighborhood argument is taking on a life of its own. Roland claims that Ken Upham has violated an ordinance from 1830 stating that no tree could be removed without permission of the village council. It was all because Vermont was shorn of most of its trees during the farming surge of the late 1700’s when the land was cleared for cultivation. Roland even came before our select board to complain.”

“It’s kind of funny. My religious background is mixed. One parent is Jewish and the other is Baptist, so I always tell people that I’m of the Druid faith; they worship trees. I think I’ve just discovered the lost tribe of Druids.”

“Mary, this case could become criminal. I think these two guys are going to become violent if someone doesn’t intercede soon. Maybe you can do everyone a favor and make this whole thing disappear. If nothing else, you’ll get famous in the Upper Valley. The newspaper has been covering this fight every week.”

“I’m a lawyer, not a magician, but I can try to negotiate a peaceful solution. Not to change the subject but I’ll bet you can answer a question for me, Riley. How did Dash get that nickname? No one calls him Daniel, his real name.”

“Dash loved to run. He was a track star in junior high and in high school he broke some track records in the state. I don’t know if it was his parents or his friends, but everyone has called him Dash forever. We better get moving if we’re going to see some more of the valley today.”

We loaded Sam and our goodies back in the car and headed for the flea market back in High Pines.

As we drove, Riley asked me what else I had seen. I told her about my trip to Dartmouth.

“Riley, you know everyone around here. Do you know a young dairy farmer whose first name is Conrad?”

“Not off hand. What does that have to do with your visit to Dartmouth?”

“My client’s daughter, Sherry, who I went to see, seems to be having a secret love affair with some farmer. She wouldn’t tell me anything other than his first name. I’m worried about her. She doesn’t want her friends to know anything about this guy. She met him in a bar and now she’s gone off to his farm for the weekend.”

“Well, won’t she be back at school tomorrow? You can phone her then and hear all the hot details. I wouldn’t worry too much. This isn’t a big city, like Miami. Everyone’s pretty mellow here.”

“I met my former serious boyfriend at a car wash and that didn’t turn out too well. I guess that’s why I’m worried.”

Riley told me to turn in to an area of shops with a large field surrounding it.

The flea market wasn’t what I expected. I was thinking of the ones in South Florida, where convicted felons sell stuff they’ve hijacked off of trucks, or where they’re selling knockoffs of Gucci handbags for ten dollars.

The High Pines flea market consisted of tables filled with beautiful china, glassware, linens, and old kitchen ware. All of it looked like things my Grandmother Katz gave away when she moved to California. But that’s another story.

I found a hooked rug like the one in my living room made by my Magruder grandmother. Riley explained that I had to bargain over the price or the seller would have his feelings hurt. I did as told and carried my bargain to the back of the SUV where Sam snuggled down in it as if we’d always owned it.

I dropped Riley back at her car and promised to call her when I had an evening to fill, so I could see her boyfriend’s hockey team in action.

The day had been fun and carefree. This Vermont life wasn’t at all boring. In fact, I never felt so energized.. Maybe representing Dash’s client wasn’t such a bad idea. Maybe I was missing out on what the wide world had to offer while I sat around having a pity party about the loss of Carlos.

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CHAPTER

TWENTY-SEVEN

Monday morning was colder than the weekend mornings. The TV news said there had been a light frost so I was in no hurry to rush outdoors.

I decided to start some loads of laundry, mainly because everything I brought with me was dirty. Bras and panties had been worn more than once. Of course, there wasn’t anyone to see them except Sam and me but even Sam was beginning to sniff in areas where his nose shouldn’t be.

The sun finally warmed the air enough for me to venture out on Sam’s morning walk. We walked along the river. The leaves were almost all in color and their reflection on the water was hypnotic. I backed up in the road to try a photo from my cell phone.

Just as I took the first photo shot, I heard a loud bang. In a second, I realized it was a gun shot. I grabbed Sam’s leash and stepped behind a large oak tree just off the edge of the road. A car passed us so close to our location that gravel and dust from the shoulder sprayed over us. I raced into the road to see a small black SUV careening down the road.

“My God, is that where the shot came from?” I asked out loud. Sam pulled on his leash, and I turned and ran back up the long dirt road to Lucy’s house. As I reached the front door, my cell phone rang.

I was so startled that I dropped the phone which continued ringing. “I thought there wasn’t cell service up here,” I said into the phone.

“Mary, is that you?” a male voice said. Then it faded out.

When I plunked down in the great room, I read the caller ID which said “Mellman Law.”

My cell phone said “out of service area” again so I picked up the land line and dialed the number on the caller ID.

“Dash Mellman,” the male voice answered.

“Dash, it’s Mary Katz. Did you just call my cell?”

“Yeah, I did. Is everything okay? I guess we lost our connection. I’m in the car on the way to the bank, but I wanted to let you know that I spoke to Ken Upham this morning and he’d be pleased to meet with you and discuss his case. I told him to come over to the office around three this afternoon. You can meet with him in the conference room. If the time is okay, I’ll have the file ready for you so you can read it before he gets here.”

“I guess it’ll be okay. I’m just a little shaky right now. I think someone took a shot at me and then almost ran me over.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m in the house now on the land line. My cell said ‘no service’ again. How are you able to get service if you’re in the car? I was out walking along the river on the path next to the road.”

“It was probably a hunter. It’s not deer season yet, but farmers go after coyotes all the time. You need to wear bright colors when it is hunting season.”

“You might be right but I had the distinct feeling that the shot came from behind me and then that car roared by.”

“Did you get the license number? What did the car look like?”

“It was a small black SUV like the one in the Brousseau barn and the one you drive. It was too fast for me to see the license number.”

“Everyone up here drives Subaru SUV’s. Are you okay or would you like me to swing by there?”

“No, I’m okay. I’ll see you at your office a little before three. You never answered me about how you have such good cell phone service.”

“I have a satellite phone in the car. I got tired of not being able to return client calls while I was out. See you this afternoon and thanks for agreeing to talk to Ken.”

I clicked off and went to pour a cup of coffee. My hands were shaking. Just what I needed, a drive-by shooting, and I wasn’t even in Miami.

I went down to the basement laundry room to finish what I had begun that seemed like hours ago. I looked through the laundry basket for a blouse that could go to a client meeting. I picked up a white long sleeved blouse and remembered how many times I had worn that with a variety of suits during the Lillian Yarmouth murder hearings and then I remembered that I wanted to hear how Sherry was after her weekend on the farm. I kept hearing the theme song from
Green Acres
every time I thought about Sherry hanging out with a herd of cows.

My brothers and I used to watch those reruns when we were little kids, and laugh hilariously until Mother would come and shoo us outside to play.

I ran upstairs and found Sherry’s number in my address book and dialed from the phone in the kitchen. A female voice answered on the first ring.

“Hi Sherry, it’s Mary Katz.”

“No, it’s not Sherry. This is her roommate, Madison. Sherry’s not here.”

“Could you tell her I called and she can call me this evening when she’s through with classes?”

“Are you the lawyer she had lunch with last week?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Do you happen to know where Sherry is?”

“What do you mean? Isn’t she in class?”

“No, she went away for the weekend and she isn’t back. I think she went to Boston. It just isn’t like her to miss class and not to call or anything. She said she’d be back around dinner time last night.”

“Why do you think she went to Boston?”

“She didn’t take her car and she said she was going to take the Dartmouth Coach. That’s the bus that stops on the campus and goes in to Boston several times a day.”

“I might have some idea where she was going, Madison. Will you please let me know if you hear from her or if she gets back, have her call me right away. I’ll give you my cell and the number where I’m staying.”

“Do you think I should call the campus security or the Hanover Police?”

“Let’s give her a little time,” I said.

I had that uneasy feeling as I clicked off, like when you’ve done something wrong but you aren’t sure you can fix it. I should have tried to get Sherry to call her mother, or I should have forced her to tell me where the farm was located. What if she had eloped, or what if the farmer was a serial killer. I had to stop imagining the worst case scenario about everything. But isn’t that what lawyers are supposed to do?