Miss Dimple Suspects (25 page)

During the remainder of the meal the discussion continued on reports from friends and loved ones in the armed services. Annie’s brother, Joel, would soon complete his flight training, along with Charlie’s fiancé, Will. Annie’s Frazier was already on his way overseas, and Phoebe’s adored Harrison soon would be. Jesse Dean, Miss Dimple realized, became unusually quiet and ate little of his dessert although they had a choice of three kinds. Jesse Dean only nibbled on his sugar cookie while Dimple and Phoebe did themselves well with Lottie’s gingery sweet potato pie, and the others chose Phoebe’s rich molasses pecan pie with dollops of whipped cream.

Dimple knew that the young man suffered emotionally from being turned down by the draft board because of his poor eyesight, but he had become a dedicated air-raid warden and served in many other areas to help in the war effort. “Well, Jesse Dean,” she began, in an effort to draw him out of his doldrums, “I imagine you’ll be in charge of the store until the Coopers return from their visit. When do you expect them back?”

“Not until the middle of next week,” Jesse Dean answered. He concentrated on his angel cookie, breaking it in two and nibbling on a wing.

“That’s a lot of responsibility!” Bessie said, apparently realizing the situation. “Harris Cooper is fortunate to have someone he can rely on.” Jesse Dean smiled as the others all agreed but still had little to say.

“I’m sorry Virginia couldn’t join us today,” Phoebe said, replenishing Bessie’s coffee, “but I can understand why she wants to spend time with her cousin—Roberta, isn’t it?”

“Who?” Annie looked up from her pie, noticing, belatedly, a warning look from Miss Dimple.

“Her cousin is visiting from out of town,” Phoebe explained. “I can’t remember where … somewhere far away, I believe.”

“
Very
far,” Miss Dimple said.

“I told Virginia her cousin would be welcome as well, but I think they planned on spending a quiet day together,” Phoebe continued.

Dimple was relieved when Lottie made everyone laugh with a story about her young students rehearsing for the school assembly program. “They were supposed to enter singing and circle the tree on the stage,” she told them, “but instead of walking, they
ran,
and the poor tree was in danger of toppling.”

“What did you do?” Phoebe asked, laughing.

“I decided on a slower carol,” Lottie said. “And speaking of trees, I almost forgot. I brought an ornament for yours, Miss Phoebe. I believe I left it on the hall table.”

“Why, this is lovely, Lottie! Thank you,” Phoebe said later as she unwrapped the small gift. “As you may have noticed, our tree could use a few more ornaments. I don’t know what happened to all the ones I put away.”

“It seemed to call to me from the gift shop window,” Lottie admitted. “Reminds me of one we had when I was very small. There’s something about its face.”

“What a dainty little angel,” Bessie said as Phoebe passed the china ornament around. “You should place her near the top, Phoebe.”

“Jesse Dean’s the tallest,” Phoebe suggested. “Why don’t you do the honors?”

Lanky Jesse Dean didn’t even have to stand on tiptoe to reach a higher branch and soon the fragile angel dangled on a feathery limb near the star.

Annie and Lottie insisted on clearing the table while the older women relaxed by the fire, and Jesse Dean pitched in to help as well. “I’m not accustomed to sitting around doing nothing,” he admitted, stacking a tray with dishes.

“I’ll wash if you two will dry,” Annie said, and tying an apron around her waist, she filled the sink with hot water. It didn’t take long with three of them helping to have the table cleared and the dishes dried and put away. Soon after that, Jesse Dean expressed his thanks and left, saying he had to go home to feed his dog.

“Well,” Annie said, putting leftovers in the refrigerator, “I’ll bet I know what we’ll have for supper tomorrow.”

“Sounds good to me,” Lottie said, hanging up her damp dish towel. “It’s always better the second time.” She looked out the window at the bare branches of the old apple tree by the back steps. “Annie, what’s the matter with Jesse Dean?”

“What do you mean?” Annie said, thinking she was referring to the young man’s peculiar lack of coloring and thick glasses.

“Have I said something to upset him? I tried to engage him in conversation but he didn’t have much to say. I don’t think he likes me.”

“I’m sure that’s not it,” Annie said, rubbing Honey and Almond Cream into her hands. “Jesse Dean’s shy, but he was unusually quiet today. I noticed it, too. Maybe he isn’t feeling well or he might be concerned about being left in charge of the store. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

*   *   *

“I think I need to walk off some of that dinner,” Dimple said after Bessie and Lottie had left, and from the look Dimple gave her, Annie knew she expected her to go along, too.

“Good idea! Mind some company?” she suggested.

“My goodness, it’s already dark out,” Phoebe said, “and turning colder, too. Why, it was positively freezing when I went out to feed the birds awhile ago.”

Dimple laughed. “It’s supposed to be cold at Christmas. We’ll bundle up and walk fast.”

“And enjoy the tree lights in all the windows,” Annie told her, hoping she would be able to keep up with Miss Dimple’s no-nonsense pace.

“I hate to bring this up on Christmas Day,” Miss Dimple began when they reached the corner, “but I’m concerned about Rebecca Wyatt. Sheriff Holland said he would let me know after he talked with her and I haven’t heard from him yet.”

“I’m sure he’s enjoying Christmas with his family,” Annie said, tugging her snug beret over her ears. “You’ll probably hear from him tomorrow.”

But Miss Dimple wasn’t having any part of it. “Whoever tried to kill us the other day isn’t going to take Christmas off. I’m sure the sheriff is aware of that. I think that woman is being held somewhere or she’s hiding in fear for her life.”

Unless she’s already dead,
Annie thought, hurrying to keep in step. “Maybe we should call him when we get back.”

However, the sheriff wasn’t there when they called his office, and Dimple was told he would return her call as soon as he came in. Her brother phoned a little later to wish her a merry Christmas, but when everyone finally went to bed after listening to a radio production of
A Christmas Carol,
she had yet to hear from the sheriff.

The telephone was ringing when they returned from church the next day and when Phoebe answered, Dimple hoped it would be Sheriff Holland calling to let her know he had spoken with Rebecca Wyatt.

“I think it’s Virginia,” Phoebe whispered, handing her the receiver, “and she sounds upset.”

Dimple hung up her coat before answering. Her friend had seemed fine when she’d spoken to her after church only minutes before. “Virginia, dear, is anything wrong? Are you ill?” she asked.

“It’s not about me. It’s Suzy! Dimple, she’s not here. Suzy’s gone!”

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY-FOUR

“I’ll be right over,” Dimple said, hanging up the receiver, and Annie knew by her expression that something was terribly wrong. “I’ll come with you,” she said, her hand on the doorknob.

Phoebe Chadwick sighed. “You might as well tell me what’s going on. I’m not deaf and blind, you know. It has something to do with that young Japanese doctor, doesn’t it?”

Dimple, reaching for her coat, darted a questioning look at Annie, and Annie, feeling as though they had nothing to lose, nodded.

“Better grab your coat, dear,” Miss Dimple said to her old friend. “We’ll tell you all about it on the way. And just to put things straight, she happens to be American.”

*   *   *

Annie was breathless by the time they arrived at Virginia’s little gray bungalow on Myrtle Street, and Phoebe, she noticed, had difficulty keeping up with their hurried pace. Miss Dimple, however, although noticeably distressed, seemed as fit and hardy as usual.

Virginia, obviously agitated, threw open the door before they could knock. “It’s all that Mavis Kilgore’s fault!” she said, darting a loathing look at the house across the street. “If she would just tend to her own business, this would never have happened.”

Dimple ushered everyone inside as calmly as she could and closed the door behind them. “First, we need to sit down and collect our thoughts. Annie and I have explained the situation to Phoebe, who, as you know, is the soul of discretion, and understands our difficulties.”

Looking completely perplexed, Phoebe nodded. “Well … as much as possible,” she added.

“Tea, I think,” Miss Dimple said, leading the way to the kitchen. “It won’t do to rush pell-mell into this without putting some thought behind it.

“Now,” she said, as the water came to a boil, “exactly what has Mavis done, and what does it have to do with Suzy?”

Virginia poured water into the pot to warm it, her mouth a grim line. “Came over here last night with those blasted cookies—horrible things—hard as rocks with no taste whatsoever!”

Everyone jumped back as she splashed in boiling water, then tea. “We’ve never exchanged Christmas gifts before so I knew good and well she was just being nosy. Said she’d love to see my new bedroom curtains, but I told her they weren’t finished yet, and thank goodness Suzy was able to stay out of sight, so I’m sure she didn’t see her.”

“Then why—” Annie began.

“Suzy was in her room writing to her family when Mavis came, and even though she couldn’t be seen, I’m sure she could hear every word,” Virginia continued. “‘I was hoping to meet your cousin,’ Mavis said, and of course butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. ‘Phoebe told me she’d invited you for Christmas dinner but you weren’t able to come because you were expecting your cousin. Has she left already?’”

“Oh, dear! What did you say?” Phoebe asked.

“I told her my cousin was flushed and running a high temperature and that I was very much afraid it might be scarlet fever,” Virginia said with a trace of a smile. “She couldn’t get out of here fast enough. Told me not to bother to return the plate.”

“And you think Suzy left because of that?” Dimple asked after the laughter subsided.

“Well, it certainly didn’t help. She left this.” Virginia brought a sheet of folded paper from the drawer behind her and gave it to Dimple to read.

My dear friends,

It becomes more evident every day that I am not only creating a problem in your day-to-day living, but might even be putting your lives in danger. You have sacrificed too much for me already and I just couldn’t bear it if you were to suffer unpleasantness—or worse—because of me.

I have a little money and am going to try to get a bus to Atlanta, where I can contact some of my friends from Emory. I’m sure they’ll be able to help me until the authorities straighten out this most unfortunate situation. Please
do not
try to find me!

I will be forever grateful for your kindness.

Suzy

Miss Dimple took out her Sunday lace handkerchief and slowly wiped her glasses, which had become all fogged up—probably because of steam from her tea, she explained, although everyone knew better.

“Did she really think she could board a bus in Elderberry without being recognized?” Annie said. “Somebody’s sure to question her.”

“It
is
the day after Christmas,” Dimple pointed out. “I’m hoping everybody’s still filled with the spirit—you know—peace and goodwill, and all that.”

“Don’t count on it,” Virginia said.

“Did she take any luggage with her?” Phoebe asked.

“What little clothing she had is gone, and her warm coat and hat, thank goodness!” Virginia sat at the table and put her head in her hands. “She took that pretty scarf you girls gave her for Christmas, and those nice new gloves from you, Dimple, but she must’ve packed everything in some sort of bag. She didn’t have a suitcase.”

“She probably left soon after church began, when few people would be on the streets,” Dimple said. “We need to find out the bus schedule for Atlanta.”

“It leaves from Clyde Jefferies Feed and Seed,” Phoebe pointed out, “and the store would be closed on Sunday, so I suppose she’d have to buy her ticket directly from the driver.”

“They post the bus schedule in the store window.” Annie spoke from experience, as she had relied on that transportation several times to meet Frazier in Columbus or Atlanta. “I can walk downtown and see.”

Virginia jumped to her feet, almost knocking over her chair. “We don’t have time for that. Come on, we’ll take my car.”

No one waited in front of the Feed and Seed when they drew up minutes later, and Annie hurried to read the sign in the window, returning with a mournful face.

“The first bus to Atlanta left at seven this morning and there’s not another until five this afternoon.” She looked around them at the empty street. “Where do you suppose she went?”

Virginia frowned. “We had breakfast together this morning and she was there when I left for church. I can’t imagine where else she might go.”

“Probably to the only place she knows.” Dimple looked from one to the other. “I believe she’d go back to Mae Martha Hawthorne’s.”

Phoebe shook her head. “But that’s so
far
! And how would she get in?”

“It’s not
that
far,” Miss Dimple reminded her, “and I imagine she’d still have a key.”

“Suzy wouldn’t be able to use the fireplace, as somebody might see the smoke, but it’s not that cold today,” Annie pointed out, “and I’m sure there are canned goods on hand, so she wouldn’t go hungry.” Her stomach growled at the thought, reminding her she hadn’t eaten since a hurried bowl of oatmeal at breakfast.

“Then I think we should go out there and bring her right back!” Virginia was in such a hurry to start the car she flooded her engine and had to wait to try again.

Miss Dimple was relieved at the delay. “We can’t all go traipsing out there, Virginia. The neighbors might get suspicious and we’d frighten the poor woman to death. I suggest we drive as far as the turnoff and if we don’t see any signs of Suzy on the road, then it’s safe to assume she made it back to Mrs. Hawthorne’s. If she doesn’t show up for the five o’clock bus,
then
we can decide what to do next.”