Murder of a Barbie and Ken (17 page)

Bunny jumped off the sofa and tried to take out what Skye was putting into the suitcase. “I just need a little more time to figure out how to convince Sonny I’m sorry.”

“You need to start by acting sorry.” Skye continued to pack.

“I know I’ve been a lousy mother.” A single tear ran down Bunny’s cheek. “But it wasn’t all my fault. Sonny’s father and I had different dreams. He wanted a white picket fence and a nine-to-five job. I wanted a chance to see if my dancing could take me somewhere other than Scumble River, Illinois. Haven’t you ever wanted to see if there was some other kind of life out there for you?”

Skye paused in her packing, remembering how badly she had wanted to leave Scumble River, and how hard it had been to admit her failure and return.

Bunny pleaded, “I’ve made mistakes, but is another chance too much to ask for?”

Skye flashed back to her valedictorian speech over fourteen years ago when she had said that Scumble River was filled with small-minded people with even smaller intellects. When she moved back, the citizens had given her a second chance. They hadn’t made it easy, but they’d given it to her. Maybe Bunny deserved a second chance, too.

“I’ll do whatever I can to persuade Simon to spend some time with you, but that’s all I can do. And no matter what, you can’t stay with me any longer. My mom told me Charlie has an empty cabin now.”

Bunny froze. “But… ah … I mean …”

Skye had never seen Bunny at a loss for words. Why was moving into the Up A Lazy River Motor Court so upsetting? Charlie must have been right about her money problems. Well, that didn’t matter. If worse came to worst, Skye would pay for Bunny’s room. “I’ll give you an hour to make your
call, pack, and clean up your mess, then I’m driving you over to the motel.”

Bunny burst into tears and collapsed on the couch.

Skye turned her back on the sobbing woman, forcing herself to harden her heart and not give in. She walked into her bedroom and leaned against the closed door, her heart pounding. Phew! That had been a lot more difficult than she thought. She wasn’t used to talking to people like that. It was exhausting.

After slipping off her clothes, she stretched out across her bed wearing only her panties and bra. Her fingertips idly traced the stitching on the quilt. It had deep rose-colored diamonds and ivory rings on a cranberry background, and had been on every bed she’d owned since her Grandma Leofantimade it for her when she turned sixteen.

To take her mind off her escalating domestic issues, she turned her thoughts to something even more disturbing—the Addisons’ murders. Too bad she hadn’t been able to find out the identity of Ken’s latest mistress. Was she losing her touch as a sleuth?

No. Bunny’s presence had been a huge distraction. Once she was gone and Skye had her cottage back to herself, she’d be able to concentrate. She began making a mental list of people to talk to. Tony Zello, Dorothy Snyder…

The repeated ringing of the doorbell merged into Skye’s dream, and she woke up disoriented. It finally occurred to her that Bunny should be answering the door.

She jumped out of bed and grabbed her robe from the hook in the bathroom. What was going on? Why did whoever it was keep ringing and ringing? If no one came to the door, most people just went away.

Smoothing her hair and hoping her face wasn’t creased from her unexpected nap, Skye ran through the great room and into the foyer. She peered out the side window and saw Wally and Roy Quirk on the step. Both were in uniform. Uh-oh.
What now? She doubted they were bringing news that she had won the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes.

She flung open the door, but before she could invite them in, Wally said, “Is Bunny Reid staying with you?”

“Yes, for the moment. Why?”

“We’d like to talk to her.” Wally had on his official face, and Skye knew now was not the time to get any information from him.

“Sure. Come on in. Excuse me while I put on some jeans. I was … ah … just changing from my school clothes.” Skye was not about to admit they had caught her sleeping.

Come to think about it, where was Bunny? She hadn’t been in the great room when Skye walked through. A quick glance to her left confirmed she wasn’t in the guest bath, although it had been cleaned. The kitchen was empty, too.

The men were watching her, waiting. Skye chewed her lip. Aha! She remembered the last time Bunny had disappeared. Skye went through the kitchen. Wally and Quirk followed her. She slid open the pocket door to the utility room. Bingo raced out between their legs, startling Quirk, whose hand went to his gun.

The small room was empty. A washer and dryer took up one entire wall and a built-in table took up a second. Shelves above the appliances held detergent, softener, stain remover, and a laundry basket. The only other items in view were an ironing board and a hamper.

“Where is she?” Wally asked.

“Her things are still here, and she doesn’t have a car. She has to be around somewhere.”

They searched the cottage. No Bunny. Skye didn’t have a garage or a shed. There was no place to hide outside.

“Could someone have picked her up while you were sle … changing clothes?” Quirk asked.

“I guess so, but she doesn’t know many people in town.” Skye hesitated. “At least I don’t think she does.”

“Could she be with Simon?” Wally asked.

“Oh, I really doubt that.” Skye didn’t explain why. She was sure Simon wouldn’t want everyone to know his business. “Maybe she’s with Charlie. But I was going to drive her over there, so why would she have him pick her up?”

Wally shrugged. “I’ll call Simon and Charlie while you put on some clothes.”

When she came out of the bedroom, Quirk was gone and Wally was on the sofa flipping through one of Bunny’s fashion magazines. He seemed bemused by the contents. He pointed to a girl with orange hair sticking straight up all over her head and asked, “Is she dressed up to go trick-or-treating?”

“No, that’s the latest style.”

He shook his head and threw the periodical on the coffee table. “Not in Scumble River.”

Skye didn’t comment, but instead asked, “Any luck?”

“Nope. Simon and Charlie both say they haven’t seen or heard from her today.”

“Where’d Quirk go?”

“I sent him back to the station. No use both of us wasting our time.”

“So, why do you want to talk to Bunny?” Skye had waited as long as she could stand to ask the question.

“I can’t talk about it,” Wally said, then added, “I promise I’ll tell you all about it after we find her.”

“Not that I mind the company, but are you just going to sit here and hope she shows up?”

“No, you can call me if she comes back.” Wally got up and moved toward the door. Bingo rubbed against his legs, and he reached down to pet him.

Skye stared at the cat. “How did Bingo get locked in the utility room?”

“Huh?”

“He was out here when I got home from work. I rarely close the door between the laundry and kitchen, so how did the door get closed and the cat get on the other side?”

“Oh.” Understanding dawned on Wally’s face. He put a finger to his lips and beckoned Skye to follow him.

They walked quietly through the kitchen and silently surveyed the utility room. Skye poked Wally in the arm and pointed to the hamper. It was about three feet high and two feet deep.

He nodded, stepped up to it, and threw back the lid. Bunny squealed, then popped up as if she were jumping out of a cake at a bachelor party. One of Skye’s bras was draped over her head, and a pair of slacks hung from her shoulders like a cape.

Wally moved back and held out his hand. “Mrs. Reid, I presume?”

Bunny shook off the dirty clothes and accepted his help as she climbed out of the hamper. She fluffed her curls, batted her lashes, and said, “Call me Bunny.”

“Okay, Bunny, you need to come with me to the police station. I have some questions I want to ask you about—”

Bunny interrupted him, nodding at Skye. “Let’s wait until we’re alone to do this.”

Skye sat on the familiar vinyl couch in the police department waiting area. She couldn’t count the number of times she had been forced to spend hours and hours with the sofa’s old springs poking her in the derriere. Bunny’s bravado had quickly faded, and she had begged Skye to come with her. Wally hadn’t objected, so here she was. Too bad neither Wally nor Bunny wanted her in the interrogation room.

In the meantime, she had phoned Simon. He was in the middle of a wake, but said he’d call to see what was happening when it was over. He hadn’t been shocked or even particularly upset to learn of his mother’s interrogation. If anything, he seemed resigned.

It was nearly seven-thirty. A matron from the county had arrived a few minutes ago, which meant they could finally begin questioning. Skye wasn’t sure whether it was a state
law or a Wally law that a woman had to be present when a female suspect was interrogated.

Either way, they’d had to wait for more than forty-five minutes while the matron drove over from Laurel. Scumble River needed to hire a female deputy.

Skye’s thoughts skittered in another direction. Maybe she should call Loretta. Loretta Steiner was one of the best criminal attorneys in Illinois, and she and Skye were both alumni of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority. They had lost touch after college, but a couple of years ago, when Skye’s brother had been charged with murder, Skye had called her. Since then Skye had provided the lawyer with three other Scumble River clients. Should Bunny be the fourth?

No. Bunny was an adult, and she had been clear that she didn’t want Skye to call a lawyer. Skye would just have to curb her natural instinct to help.

Bunny hadn’t wanted Skye to call Simon either, but that was different. No way was she keeping something like that from him. That had to be one of the top ten ways to get your lover to leave you.

Skye’s stomach growled. She looked at her watch. Eight o’clock. She never did get any supper. What was taking them so long? Why did the police want to talk to Bunny? Was it about the Addison murders? What could she have to do with that?

Finally the door between the waiting area and the rest of the station opened.

Bunny trotted through, followed by Wally, who said, “Now remember, you promised not to leave Scumble River.”

She made an exaggerated X across her chest. “I promise.”

Skye stood up. “What’s going on?”

Wally looked at Bunny. “Okay?”

“If you have to.” The older woman stuck out her lower lip and pouted.

“You agreed it would be best,” Wally reminded her.

The redhead heaved another big sigh. “I said go ahead.”

“Bunny’s compact was found in Ken Addison’s car.”

“What? How did it get there?” Skye looked at Bunny. “You knew Dr. Addison?”

“He was at the motor court when I tried to get a room. He drove me over to your place.”

“Why was he at the motor court?”

Bunny shrugged. “It looked like he was checking out.”

Skye glanced over at Wally. “How interesting. Did Charlie mention that Addison had rented a cottage?”

“Originally we never thought to question him,” Wally said. “After all, Addison lived right in town. But when I called just now, he confirmed Bunny’s story. Said Addison was a frequent flyer.”

Bunny headed toward the door. “If you all are through, I’m starving.”

Skye started to follow but stopped. “Wait a minute. How did you know it was Bunny’s compact?”

“By her fingerprints,” Wally answered.

“How did your fingerprints get into the police computer?” Skye asked the older woman.

Bunny licked her lips. “Ah, I had a teensy little problem, and I’m on court supervision.”

“What did you do?”

“They claim I forged a prescription for some pain medicine, but that’s not true,” Bunny huffed. “My doctor told me to take those pills whenever my back was bothering me. I ran out, and I was just trying to get some more. I was following doctor’s orders.”

“I thought you couldn’t leave the state if you were on court supervision.” Skye had a lot of other questions, but that one seemed the most pressing. Was Bunny a fugitive, running from the Nevada police?

Wally answered, “She hasn’t. She was arrested in Chicago.”

“But you said you came from Las Vegas.”

“That’s true. Only I thought Sonny still lived in Chicago, so I stopped there before coming here.” Bunny folded her arms. “Can we get something to eat now?”

Skye considered making Bunny explain things more fully, but decided Simon really needed to be present at that discussion. “I’d better get her some dinner before she gets cranky,” Skye said to Wally. “Do you want to come to the Feed Bag with us?”

“No, I’m heading home. I’ve been on duty since seven this morning.”

“Okay. Get some rest.” Skye ushered Bunny out the door.

Bunny was uncharacteristically quiet as they drove to the restaurant, were seated, and placed their orders. Skye slipped away and called Simon. The wake had ended at eight-thirty, and he was just cleaning up and making sure things were set for the funeral the next day. He’d meet them at Skye’s. When she tried to fill him in on what she had found out since their last phone call, he told her to wait until they were face to face.

Skye had just taken a sip of her hot chocolate when Bunny said, “I hope you’re not two-timing my son with that police chief.”

Skye snorted the hot liquid. After she mopped her face and recovered, she asked, “Why would you say that?”

Bunny snapped her fingers, no small trick considering her nails were an inch-long with tiny rhinestones glued to the tips. “It’s obvious he has the hots for you.”

Simon’s Lexus was parked in Skye’s driveway when she and Bunny returned from the Feed Bag. Even though she was expecting him, the meal she had just eaten formed into a lump in her stomach. This showdown wouldn’t be pretty.

Bunny and Skye got out of the car and went up the side-walk. Simon met them at the front door holding Bingo.

Skye walked in, kicked off her boots, and hung up her coat. “Have you been here long?”

“About fifteen minutes.”

“How’d the wake go?”

“It was Mrs. Jeffries. She was ninety-two, so people were sad but not distraught.” He answered aloud, then muttered under his breath, “I’v helped hundreds of families say good-bye to their loved ones, and I can handle that. But here I am with a mother I thought I had buried long ago, who pops up and insists on exhuming the past, and I don’t know what to do.”