Your Goose Is Cooked (A LaTisha Barnhart Mystery) (27 page)

“. . .
seemed
upset.”

Carl’s reply.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”

I knew I was safe when Carl’s door shut again, Chief’s voice releasing me from my need to stay hidden. Flossie had left, obviously upset. It was time for me to enter the conversation next door.

I considered flushing the toilet, but who was I kidding? Chief knew my leaving so sudden wasn’t because I needed a bathroom break. Straightening, I crossed the restroom, pausing long enough to pat my hair and shake the wrinkles out of my dress.
Looked pretty good.
Not Sasha
Blightman
thin, but getting there.

Within seconds of leaving the restroom, I was seated comfortably in a nice, cushy club chair that actually fit my backside. Finally, a chair not made for a petite lady. Chief was busily explaining how I was helping him in the investigation into Aidan’s death. A consultant, he called me. Was sounding better and better all the time.

Carl’s reaction didn’t seem
put
off at all. “After the way she unraveled the mystery surrounding Marion’s death, I can see why you would ask for her help.” His head bobbed in silent approval.

“We were investigating late last night and saw the light on in the room by the back exit. Were you working late?”

Carl’s eyebrows rose. “I was at home last night.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I’ll give it to the
chief,
he didn’t let his surprise show. Smoothly, he kept right on task, peppering Carl with more questions. For his part, Carl seemed to retreat into himself, his answers coming slower, with more thought. “Flossie has a key.”

And she needs money, though I had no way of letting Chief
know
that tidbit without tipping my hand. Or maybe I did. “Michael
Nooseman
said Flossie has your house on the market.
Mentioned that she’s trying to sell the furnishings too.
Is she moving?”

Carl stalled. He picked up a paper clip and began
unbending
it. “Flossie is restless.”

“Would she have any reason to be here that late?”

He didn’t have to say another word. Carl’s expression showed agony, and I knew the boy was still in love with his ex, which also explained why they were together so much. Not Flossie’s doing though.

Chief leaned forward, hands clasped. “You know, Dr.
Cryer
has accused you of stealing jewelry and making copies.” I watched Carl hard. “Betsy was in for questioning last night and mentioned Flossie acting strange.”

This was news to me.

Chief shot me an apologetic glance. We both turned to stare at Carl. When he finally noticed, he shot out a breath and covered his face.

“You think
it’s
Flossie, don’t you?” His voice caught. “I didn’t want to believe it.”

“Has she had access to the bodies at a point where she could take the jewelry?”

Carl lowered his fingers to reveal red eyes. “I do the
embalming,
she does the preparation and inventories belongings.”

Chief moved to the edge of his chair, hands on his knees. “Did she have a relationship with Aidan?”

“No!”

It was an answer straight from his heart and not his head. It explained the dinners, just the two of them.
Carl’s idea.
His hope for reconciliation.

“You still love her?” I asked.

He visibly melted into himself, defeated. “I didn’t think I did. I gave her the job because she needed extra cash. Betsy wasn’t paying her more than minimum wage.”

I pushed. “
Which explains why you didn’t offer the internship to Randy.
”

“He told you that?”

“At the store yesterday.
It would be a natural move for him to work in the field in which he is majoring.”

Carl went back to his paper clip. “Flossie assured me she could handle the job, that she didn’t need help or want help.
Said she’d work overtime.”

“That didn’t seem strange to you?”

I knew the answer to that. Judging by Chief’s expression, he knew the answer too. Carl continued bending and
unbending
the paper clip.

We left him wallowing in his pit of misery. Chief remained quiet until we got outside.

“Where did you head off to?”

“Got it in my head to go listen in on the conversation.
Found out the ladies’ room backs up to his office. Flossie was trying to get Carl to buy back the house she got in the divorce, feeding him all these lines about it being his family home. It finally boiled down to the fact she needed money.”

Chief consulted his watch and waved a hand toward the library. “We should probably get going if we want to hear those speeches. We’ll take the cruiser.”

We were quiet as we passed Aidan’s jewelry store, a For Lease sign in the shop window. The site brought back the question to which Carl had responded with such passion. “He sure didn’t like the thought of Flossie being in a relationship with Aidan.”

Chief’s jaw flinched. “I wouldn’t either.
Hurt’s a man’s ego.”

“They’re divorced.”

“I think Flossie wanted it way more than he did. If she and Aidan were involved in a racket, it would work. She lifts the jewelry, hands it over to Aidan, he makes a copy and gives it back.”

“Aidan must have been fast.”

“Pros usually are.”

“Is that what the state is thinking?”

“The rough-cut stones, the equipment, the fake jewelry showing up, the low inventory in Aidan’s shop—it all points to someone well established in the business of making counterfeit jewelry and, from his small inventory, possibly money laundering.”

Chief stopped the cruiser in front of the steps leading up to the library entrance. Crowds were already gathering around the outside, waiting for the moment Lester and Eugene
Taser
made their speeches. I scanned any sign of Hardy, Elizabeth, or William. Townsfolk parted for the chief, I followed in his wake. Lester glad-handed the crowd, looking stunning in a fresh pair of overalls and a clean pair of work boots.

“Looking good, Lester.”

“Didn’t figure I should wear a suit if a suit wasn’t really me.”

I love people who are comfortable with
who
they are. “Good thinking.” Next thing I know, Lester cocks his head back and hollers.

“Everyone give a cheer for future town councilwoman,
LaTisha
Barnhart!”

I could have clobbered him right then. Instead, I pasted on a smile and kept right on hoofing behind the chief. We made it inside the building where the musty, dusty smell of old books greeted us.

Over the years, I’d made several donations to this place. Every one of my children had developed their love of books because I’d dragged them through aisle after aisle, year after year, pointing out classics and encouraging the passion.

The door opened behind me, Chief and I turned to see who it was. Lester popped inside.

“You’re obviously enjoying rock star status,” I said.

Lester grinned. “You know me. I’m more at home with the cows.” He took the lead. “Mary’s in here,” he pointed to a conference room. “Welcome to come in.”

“Eugene here yet?”
Chief inquired.

There were only a handful of people within sight, some at tables working, others reading quietly. Most were outside. The library offered what every library offers, solitude and quiet.
A place to absorb uninterrupted.
When I wanted a good book, I could scroll for titles along the shelves for hours. Not that I had the time to do that as often as I liked.

“I sure didn’t see him anywhere,” I answered.

Mary sat in the room by
herself,
her cheeks flushed pink, her pretty green dress a match to her soft eyes. Lester sat down at a small table where some
notecards
were spread over the surface. Chief scanned the room, turned and wandered out into the main room of the library. I shut the door, wondering if he expected some type of trouble. Ever since we’d left Carl’s, he’d seemed wound tighter than usual.

“Practice on me, Lester,” I prompted the candidate, locking out thoughts of Carl and the Chief.

Lester shuffled his cards together. Mary fussed with the straps of his overalls and straightened his collar. When she finished, he cleared his throat, stood erect, and inhaled real deep. “My fellow citizens—”

The door flew open. Chief stood there, his arms around the shoulders of a disheveled Eugene
Taser
. Not only did Eugene not look well, he smelled of BO worse than my boys after a round of basketball.

I shoved a chair his direction. Chief helped him down. A red mark on his cheek looked like someone had applied a knuckle sandwich to his face. Eugene swayed on the seat, then leaned forward and held his head in his hands. My eyes landed on a small trashcan and I made quick work of delivering it in front of Eugene in case he had the heaves or something.

“Eugene?” Chief’s voice cut the shocked silence. “What happened?”

“Lester,” I heard Mary’s voice. “It’s time.”

Chief heard this and turned to a dumbfounded Lester. “I’ll stay here with him, why don’t you go ahead and go first?”

Mary was steering Lester toward the door before Chief had finished.

I followed Mary. “I’ll get him some water.”

“Eugene?” I heard the chief again as I left the room. I grabbed a paper cup at the water cooler, filled it, and returned to hear sobs.
Eugene’s sobs.

What happened?
my
eyes asked Chief.

He jerked his head in the direction of the corner of the room. We retreated there, Chief explaining. “I thought I heard a rise in the volume from the crowd and ducked outside figuring it was Eugene arriving. I was shocked to see him staggering around. Shiny was trying to hang on to him. I took over.”

“He
drunk?”

“I don’t smell anything. I sent Shiny to round up Dr. Icon or Dr. Gordon.”

Eugene sat up straight and wiped a hand down his face. Chief went to him, grabbed a chair and straddled it. “What’s going on, Eugene?”

“Eddie and Roger.
They double-crossed me.
Roughed me up until I signed to withdraw the money from the campaign account.”

Chief’s voice got hard. “Who are they?”

Eugene gulped some water. “They were from Chicago. Told me they had a way to make sure I’d get reelected, that money was the key, and it didn’t have to all go to the campaign . . .” He swiped at his brow and winced. “They promised I’d be rich. I believed them.”

“Where are they now?”

“Gone.”
Eugene touched a red place on his cheek.

Chief’s eyes hardened. “They beat you up.”

“What do you know about Aidan?” I slid in my question.

“Nothing.
I didn’t kill him!” Eugene massaged his eyes. “It was a setup. I convinced Aidan I wasn’t going to win against Lester. He said I had to. Eddie and Roger wouldn’t let me lose.
That I was a good man and they’d help me.
I lied. It was Aidan’s idea to pretend someone was out to get me to pull in sympathy votes.”

“Where did William fit in?”

“We’d just settled on it in the men’s room when William walked in. I knew he had started working for you and figured he’d tell you and that word would get around to most everyone at the Goose.”

I pushed my hands down on my hips and drilled that boy. “You don’t know me well, then. Spreading rumors isn’t my pastime.”

If I’d never seen a cowed Eugene
Taser
, I was seeing it now. He seemed to shrink into himself. “I didn’t know he couldn’t hear or talk. When the rumor didn’t get around, I figured we’d have to use another method. They got Betsy to call it in to some reporter in Denver.” He hesitated. “Then Aidan got shot. I thought they’d done it. They told me they hadn’t. That they didn’t have any reason to, but thought they might know who did do it.”