SEAS THE DAY Page 11

  To say I was stunned was an understatement. How could he do this to his mother? To Chili? To his friends? “Unbelievable. Where is he?”

  “In transit. A few deputies went to meet the Florida officials at the Georgia-Florida line. Since the offense happened in our jurisdiction, we get first crack at him.”

  “Why’d he do it?” I asked.

  “Don’t know.” Fran paused to sample her cake. A blissful expression spread over her face. “Oh my gosh. This is the best dessert I’ve ever tasted. I wish I didn’t have to share this cake with another soul, but eating this whole thing would make me fat. Girl, you have ruined me for any other cake!”

  “Glad you like it.” Energized by the news of Kale being alive and hopeful the brothers might somehow be reunited, I made quick work of slicing half the cake. “Any chance of seeing Deputy Hamlyn before I go?”

  “You could ordinarily, but he rode shotgun on the pick-up route. Said to tell you he’d get with you later to pay his bill.”

  Usually I got a hefty deposit for any catering job. This request happened on the fly today, so Lance hadn’t paid me a dime. Would I ever see that money? He’d better pay me.

  I handed Fran the sealed invoice. “Make sure he gets this.”

  “Will do.”

  Nothing more I could do about getting paid right now, so my thoughts slid to another matter. “This morning I visited Ola Mae Reed and Valerie Slade. They’re upset about the noise coming from Estelle Bolz’s house. Although I guess its Kale’s house now. Anyway, the sisters told me Deputy Hamlyn responded to their noise complaint. They’d like a copy of his report.”

  Fran’s eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t remember seeing a noise complaint pass through our report pipeline. All of them cross my desk. You sure he wrote it up?”

  “The ladies said he did, and then they said he stopped next door to speak to the two loud men.”

  She tossed her empty plate and plastic fork in the trash. “Don’t tell anyone I’m doing this, but I’ll show you the log.”

  I followed her to her desk and then stood behind her as she pulled up Deputy Hamlyn’s online report folder. She typed in Ola Mae Reed’s name and hit search. Nothing. Valerie Slade’s name. Nothing.

  I didn’t doubt Ola Mae and Valerie’s word for a heartbeat. Why didn’t Lance write up that call? “That’s odd. Men who claim to be Estelle’s cousins are destroying her house. I’m making a formal request for another patrol officer visit to their home. Those men are disturbing the peace and more.”

  Fran pursed her lips. “You have to fill out a form as a walk-in.”

  “All right.” I sat down at a chair by her desk and wrote out my complaint.

  She scanned it into the system. “The deputy on patrol in this sector will get the notification. Someone will check within the hour, depending on where they are on their patrol route.”

  “Thanks. Maybe this deputy will make a record of his visit.”

  The next morning Ola Mae phoned me first thing. “You’ve got to come over here. You won’t believe this.”

  “Believe what?” I asked, setting my coffee mug on the counter and sliding onto a kitchen stool.

  “Those horrible goons,” Ola Mae said. “They ruined everything. Please come see. The sooner the better.”

  “All right.” I could’ve pumped her for more information, but I wanted to view the damage.

  Ten minutes later, I parked in Ola Mae’s driveway. One police car with flashing lights sat on Estelle’s lawn. I hurried up the steps to join Ola Mae and Valerie on their porch.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “This neighborhood’s gone to hell,” Ola Mae said. “Not much left of Estelle’s beautiful home.”

  I glanced at Valerie. From her glassy expression and tear-stained cheeks, the destruction upset her. “It looks the same on the outside,” Valerie said, “but the inside is ruint.”

  “The built-in bookcases look like kindling,” Ola Mae recited as she drew numbers in the air. “The drywall is all punched out. Garbage and thick dust are everywhere. Smells like the toilet overflowed. Deputy Hamlet cracked the windows over there and nearly stank us out. It’s better now, but if you really breathe deep you’ll smell it.”

  I inhaled and sure enough there it was, the foul taint of sewage. “Catch me up.”

  “Yesterday afternoon, a very polite youngster dropped by, Deputy Gil Franklin. He’s so handsome with those blue eyes and graying temples. Reminded me of my husband when he was that age. Anyway, he listened to our story and took notes. While he was here, the guys at Estelle’s place turned on some noisy machine, and we couldn’t even carry on a proper conversation over here.”

  “What’d he do?” I prompted when Ola Mae stopped.

  Her eyes glowed with excitement. “He charged over there, knocked on the front door. One guy answered, tried to close the door on young Franklin, but the deputy wasn’t having it. He hollered for the men to stop, a shot was fired, and Franklin returned fire. One guy’s hurt bad, the other just winged. Before the ambulances came, Franklin cuffed the men together and to the porch. Then he asked us to watch them while he cleared the house. The guys kept groaning, but who cares? Our troubles are over now. The louts are gone, baby, gone.”

  I laughed at her tone and the dismissive motions she made with her hand. “That sounds good. Now you’ll have peace and quiet.”

  “You stopped them by making another police report. Thank you.” Her gleeful expression clouded. “It’s such a mess over there. Nobody can live in that place now. It’s a tear-down. When you find Chili, he’ll be heartbroken.”

  “I’ve had no luck finding Chili.” I eyed the house expectantly. The cop car had gone, though crime scene tape crisscrossed the doorway. “Excuse me, I’d like to peek in the windows next door.”

  “Suit yourself. Every cop in the county and most of the neighbors did the same thing.”

  I hurried over and peered through the windows on this side of the house. Sure enough, in most places, the walls were bare to the two-by-four studs. What on earth were those men looking for? Why would anyone think Estelle stashed something inside her walls, air ducts, or floors?

  I rejoined the petite seniors on the porch. “That was historic property those men destroyed. I hope Kale Bolz sues them for damages.”

  “He’s dead,” Ola Mae said, giving me a stern look. “Pretty sure he can’t sue from Davy Jones locker.”

  “Not dead anymore,” I added, pleased to be the bearer of good news. “Yesterday, he got caught in Florida trying to renew his driver’s license. Dead men don’t need a license, but living ones do. He’s in our jail. Because he faked his death and ran off for months, the judge said he was a flight risk and denied his bail.”

  “Land sakes,” Ola Mae said. “Never heard tell of such a thing before.”

  A cop SUV cruised slowly on the street. It signaled and slowed like it was going to Estelle’s house. Then the driver veered into Ola Mae’s driveway and parked behind my catering van.

  To my surprise, Deputy Lance Hamlyn emerged from the vehicle and joined us. I rose from my chair, but Ola Mae and Valerie sat tight. “What brings you here, Deputy Hamlyn?” I asked.

  “You.” He handed me a folded piece of paper and then shoved his hands in his pockets.

  I opened it and saw a check for the birthday cake and cookies. “Thanks.” I would deposit this payment on the way home. I gestured toward Estelle’s house. “It’s a shame what happened next door.”

  He shrugged. “We’ll get to the bottom of why those men went on the offensive and tore up the house, but I gotta tell ya, I’ve seen a lot in this job. People do strange things.”

  I shook my head at his comment, eyes watering a bit from his strong aftershave. “The house wouldn’t be in such dire straits if you’d filed your report and followed up. Why didn’t you?”

&nbs
p; His expression hardened. “I spoke to the men, wrote the report, and filed it. If the official paper copy is missing, that’s not my fault. Our records person often misfiles records in the wrong month. How’d you even know about that?”

  “A little birdy told me.”

  “That little birdy better watch her step or she’ll be looking for a new job. It’s against department policy to talk about internal procedures with civilians.”

  That sobered me. Fran could lose her job from me shooting my mouth off.

  I must’ve looked stricken. Lance’s lips curved momentarily. “Don’t worry. It’s the sweetness effect again. I swear River, you could feed the President your cake and he’d tell you state secrets. I won’t say anything against Fran. I know you were trying to look after these fine ladies.”

  “Thank you. I didn’t mean to get her in trouble. What about next door? It appears the men were searching for something. You know what’s missing?”

  “Sure don’t. Look, I had another reason for stopping. We need you at the station. Can I give you a lift?”

  Then I’d have to hitch a ride back to Ola Mae’s and pick up my van before I could go home. I didn’t like that scenario. “I’ll follow you there. What’s this about?”

  “The case.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Intending to give Kale a piece of my mind, I signed into the jail’s visitation center. Thanks to technology, no prisoners were in the room, and luckily for me, no other visitors either. I sat before a computer screen and followed the directions I’d been given to contact Kale, noting the sign that stated all conversations were taped.

  Kale Bolz appeared on the monitor before me. “Hey, River. Thanks for coming.”

  I’d known Kale Bolz for over twenty years. He looked like a paler, leaner version of himself. His blond hair, usually cut short, now brushed his shoulders in lank wisps. Wherever he’d been hiding, it hadn’t agreed with him.

  Revulsion and disgust at his selfish behavior rose in me. I couldn’t hold my emotions inside any longer. “Shame on you, Kale. You put your family through hell. Your mother cried and cried. We thought you were dead.”

  “I’m sorry. I had to do it.” He hung his head. “Bad people were after me. Still are, and they have a long reach.”

  “I don’t believe you, and I can’t stomach your excuses. Your mother raised you better than that.”

  He timidly met my heated glare. Tears filled his eyes. “She did, and if I could tell her I was sorry, I would. It was run or die. I couldn’t risk her knowing I was alive. I left to protect her, but my leaving made everything worse.”

  His earnest words settled around me like a scratchy blanket. I didn’t want to feel any sympathy for him, but I did. Kale had always been straightforward. I could see him making that choice to protect his mother. Darn it. I would not feel sorry for him. He broke the law.

  “Why did you ask to see me?” I asked.

  “You’re my friend. I need your help. I need you to—”

  “Wait.” I raised a hand. “Don’t put either of us in harm’s way. This conversation is recorded.”

  “I can’t help that. Please. Just listen. Someone beat Mama to death, and according to the local paper which I’ve been reading online, Chili’s missing. He could be dead in the woods, and I’d never know. He wouldn’t abandon Mama unless he had no other choice.”

  Rats. I believed him. I’d come in here ant-stomping mad and now I believed Kale’s story. “The cops searched for him, but no luck so far.”

  “He knows how to live off the land and stay out of sight. I gotta believe he’s out there. If not, this was all for nothing.”

  “What’d you get into?” I asked.

  “I don’t want you involved in our mess. Let’s change subjects. Rumor is you have Mama’s ashes.”

  “Pastor Debra gave them to me, saying she anonymously received the money for the cremation and instructions for the memorial service. I don’t know what to do with Estelle’s remains. There’s your empty grave in the cemetery. Your mother gave you her spot. There isn’t an empty spot adjacent to it. Should I put her ashes in your plot, since you clearly aren’t dead?”

  “I don’t know what to do. My life isn’t worth a sack of dried beans. I might be the last of my line.”

  “What about those cousins of yours?”

  His gaze narrowed. “What cousins?”

  “Two burly men at the funeral claimed they were Estelle’s cousins and moved into her house. Then they took the inside apart. What were they looking for, Kale?”

  Kale shook his head. His color paled even more.

  “Is this why you disappeared?” I asked, needing answers.

  He chewed his lip and said nothing.

  “If that’s all you have to say, I’ve got food to prepare.”

  “Don’t go. Please find my brother.”

  “Your mother asked me to do that. I looked and I can’t find Chili. I don’t have the skills to search all the forests and swamps around here.”

  He took his time responding. “I heard you found Mama, that you called the ambulance.”

  My eyes moistened. “I wish I could’ve saved her, but she was too far gone.”

  “Was she conscious?” he asked.

  “She’d been beaten pretty bad, but yeah, she roused when I spoke to her.”

  “Whatever she said, it means something.”

  “Estelle mentioned the bridge club and a chess move. I went over and talked to the bridge ladies. We don’t know what she meant.”

  “You’re our only chance, River. Keep doing what you’re doing. Chili needs your help now. I’m beyond anyone’s help.”

  “What about a lawyer?”

  “That’s why I asked for you. I need you to contact Jude Ernest for me.”

  My brows shot up. “The retired ambulance-chasing lawyer?”

  “Jude Ernest is the man I want.”

  “Can’t you call him? I don’t have his number.”

  “Nobody has his number. You gotta go out to his place.”

  Word around the island was that the former Savannah shyster bought the old Ferguson place, but Ernest had been seen wandering around the county in a daze. Half the islanders thought he was a drunk, and the other half thought he had dementia. Either way, folks steered clear of him.

  Maybe I could convince Patsy or Vivian to go with me, and it wouldn’t be too bad. “I can’t believe I’m saying this. I’ll do it, but I wish you’d pick someone with good hygiene and mental acuity for your lawyer.”

  “He’s the one I want. Promise me you’ll go see Jude.” His eyes drilled into me. “Alone. That’s really important.”

  Air strained in through my clenched teeth. Kale’s request boxed me in. “From his former TV commercials, he’s an odd duck, and that’s the most flattering thing I can say about him.”

  “You’ll be safe with him. Please. You’re like a sister to me. I wouldn’t put you in danger. I need this. You’re my only lifeline.”

  The sister card. How many times had Kale and Chili called me L’il Sis? More than I could count. They’d looked out for me in school too. I couldn’t deny him this request.

  “Okay,” I said slowly. “I’ll find the lawyer.”

  “And look for Chili. We can’t give up on him.”

  “You don’t ask much, do you?”

  A buzzer sounded. According to the posted rules, that signaled the end of the visit. The screen would go dark regardless. “All right,” I said. “I’ll do it.”

  He nodded and faded from sight.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “He tell you anything?” Lance asked when I reached the jail lobby.

  After connecting with Kale and agreeing to help him, I felt the weight of every cop’s censure as I exited the secure area. I shrugged and continued toward daylight. I’d
never been a fan of fluorescent lightning, and today the artificial light made me feel like I’d been inside for years. “Listen to our recorded conversation.”

  Undeterred by my reply, Lance opened the lobby door and ushered me toward my van. I thrust on my sunglasses against the glaring sunshine. We were still in spring, so at least it wasn’t blisteringly hot yet. A few more steps and I could get away from this place of locked doors, guards, buzzers, and bells.

  “Why’d he fake his death?” Lance prowled along beside me, hands in his pockets. “The only thing he said when we questioned him was he wanted his one phone call. Imagine my surprise when you were his call, but you didn’t answer your phone, so I went looking for you.”

  “Must’ve left my phone on silent mode this morning. Sorry to have missed that call and put you to the trouble of finding me. As for why Kale chose me, I’ve known the Bolz family for twenty years. Our mothers were good friends. Kale requested me because I am his friend, even though we’d lost touch in recent years.”

  “You don’t know what he was up to?” Lance asked.

  “Should I?”

  He gazed at some distant point before he turned to me. “We believe Kale is connected.”

  My speedy pace slowed. “Connected to what?”

  “Underworld figures. That explains the two goons who tore up the Bolz family home.”

  I watched enough police dramas on television to know where this conversation was headed. “Guns, drugs, or prostitution?”

  Lance broke stride and grabbed my arm. “He tell you that?”

  I wrenched free of his grip and sailed on to my vehicle. “He did not. I made a wild guess based on every cop show I’ve ever watched. These days there are also thieves who ply the internet stealing secrets, but I don’t see Kale tapped into anything high tech.”

  Lance scowled. “Me neither. He mention his brother?”

  “Only that he’s upset by his mother’s death and Chili’s disappearance.”

  “That’s it?” His neck reddened, and his face clouded. “I thought we were sharing information, partner. Aren’t we on the same team anymore?”