A Broth of Betrayal (19 page)

Elias waited while Lucky turned off the lamps and the neon sign. She locked the door
behind them. He placed an arm around her shoulder, and she smiled up at him. “You’re
too tired. There’s no need to walk me home. I’m a big girl.”

“I don’t want to let you out of my sight until whoever’s behind these attacks is caught.
Humor me. I’ll feel better if I know you’re safely home.”

“Yes, sir.” Lucky smiled.

They walked slowly down Broadway, turning the corner on Maple Street. The Snowflake
Clinic was closed. They could see a small night-light burning at the front desk as
they passed and reached the stairway to Lucky’s apartment building next door.

“What did Jack mean earlier? He said something about the . . . smoking lamp?” Elias
asked.

Lucky smiled. “It’s an old Navy expression. He’s saying that we can’t be too careful.
On a ship, fire is always a terrible danger, so when the smoking lamp is out, it’s
not safe to relax and have a smoke. The ship must stay on alert and every man needs
to be at his post.”

“Interesting,” Elias remarked. “I’ll have to remember that one.”

“I’m a regular encyclopedia of nautical trivia.” Lucky hesitated. “Elias . . . there’s
something else I meant to mention at the Spoonful. I guess with all the other things
that have been going on, it slipped my mind. Sophie and I were at the church the day
before the demonstration and I accidentally overheard a conversation between Harry
and Pastor Wilson. It sounded as if Harry was very upset and they were discussing
something serious.”

“Like what?”

“That’s just it. I don’t know. I could have sworn I heard Harry crying. Then, Harry
came out of the Pastor’s office and the door was partially open. I don’t know if I
can recall the exact words. Harry was saying something like . . .” Lucky trailed off,
recalling the incident. “Harry said, ‘
I had to tell someone
.’ And then Pastor Wilson was encouraging him, telling him he was doing the right
thing, and then said that he and Harry could talk again whenever Harry was ready.

“I really didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I never expected that they would be talking about
a personal matter—but that’s what it sounded like. Harry looked startled when he saw
me standing in the corridor. I had such a strong feeling about the whole thing, as
though Harry wanted to . . .” She struggled for the word that would best explain.
“Confess, I guess. As if he had something quite terrible on his mind and had to talk
to someone about it, but it also sounded like Pastor Wilson was telling him that when
he was ready he should come back and talk to him. That’s the best way I can put it.”

Elias stopped. “Maybe there’s something you should know, but you must keep this to
yourself at least for now.” Lucky looked up at him silently. “Harry was dying. He
didn’t have a lot of time.” Elias’s face looked gaunt in the light from the streetlamp.

“What? Oh!” Lucky breathed.

Elias could see the shifting realization on her face. “It’s true. Sad but true.”

“I had no idea. Did anyone else know?”

“That I couldn’t say. Other than his specialist in Lincoln Falls, I really don’t know
who he was close to, who he might have confided in.”

“Maybe that’s what he was talking to Pastor Wilson about. It would make sense that
he’d want to get something off his chest. That definitely puts another color on the
whole thing.”

“Quite possibly. I sent a copy of his medical file to the pathologist, so it will
be in the police report, and since he had no living relatives, well, I’m not hurting
him or anyone else in telling you.” Elias followed her up the stairs to the front
door and continued until they reached her apartment on the second floor. Lucky turned
to say good night, and Elias pushed her gently against the door frame.

“Why, sir, are you assaulting me?”

“Yes.” He breathed, holding her close. He pulled back and looked at her. “If anything
ever happened to you. I don’t know what . . .”

“Nothing’s going to happen to me. I’m as safe as houses here. Now stop worrying. You’re
a worse worrywart than I am.”

“Sorry about that dinner I promised you. How about tomorrow night?”

“Tomorrow it is.” Elias kissed her long and passionately and finally let go. He remained
standing in the hallway until he heard the lock click on her front door.

Chapter 28

L
UCKY LOOKED UP
as the bell jingled over the front door. Two groups entered—a family of five and
another group of young summer tourists. She recognized the couple she had seen at
the demonstration. Janie and Meg were still on their break, so she grabbed menus and
distributed them around the tables, taking orders for cold drinks. Jack rose from
his stool at the cash register to help her and carried trays of drinks to their tables.
By the time Janie and Meg returned from their break, Sage had filled most of the orders.

Lucky slipped off her apron and called Janie over. “I’m going to stop by Elizabeth’s
office to talk to her assistant. Can you and Meg handle everything for about a half
an hour?”

“Sure, Lucky. We’ll be fine. You hoping Jessie’s heard something?”

Lucky shrugged. “I think she would have let me know if she had. But I want to see
if she has Elizabeth’s calendar. Maybe there’s something there or on her desk that
might give us some ideas. I’m sure the police have looked at everything, but I’ll
feel better if I go myself.”

“Good idea.” Janie smiled in encouragement and nodded to a customer attempting to
get her attention.

“Can you let Jack know where I’ve gone when you get a chance?”

“Will do.” Janie smiled encouragingly.

Lucky exited by the front door and hurried down Broadway, past the Village Green,
and cut down Spruce Street to the municipal offices. The heat was even more intense
today, made worse by high humidity. She glanced at the sky and spotted clouds gathering
above the mountain. Maybe a blessed thunderstorm would alleviate this heat. Her blouse
was sticking to her skin by the time she arrived, and a trickle of perspiration rolled
down her back.

Inside the town hall the air-conditioning system was working full blast. Goose bumps
formed on her arms from the chill when she entered. She climbed the stairs to Elizabeth’s
office. The door was open and Jessie sat at the front desk, a crossword puzzle in
front of her. She looked up expectantly.

“Hi, Lucky.” She closed the magazine and pushed it to the side of her desk. “I’d be
working if I had something to do, but I’ve done everything I can think of, filed everything
away, reorganized the supply closet, straightened up Elizabeth’s desk. Having nothing
to do is driving me crazy and I’m worried sick.”

“Me too. I thought I’d take a walk over and maybe have a look at her appointment book
if you don’t mind.”

“Sure. You’re welcome to it. I’ve gone through it and I showed it to Nate. He stopped
by yesterday again.” She rose and followed Lucky into the inner office. “Here it is.”
She passed it across the desk.

Lucky sat in the same chair she had sat in so many times before when visiting Elizabeth
in her office and leafed through the pages. “There are two meetings listed.”

“Yes. But they were both here. She had no appointments outside the office. Everyone
she was supposed to meet with called or came by expecting her to be here.” Jessie
sank into Elizabeth’s chair and leaned back. “I can’t think of anything. I’ve wracked
my brain trying to remember if she mentioned having to go out of town. I’m sure I’d
remember if she did, but she didn’t say anything to me at all.”

“No strange phone calls?”

“Nope. Nothing like that. I know everyone here and all the people who do call her.
I feel absolutely horrible now that I was trying to cover for her. I’m an idiot. I
should have sounded the alarm immediately when she didn’t come in. Nate gave me a
funny look when I tried to explain. At first, I thought it was my fault. That Elizabeth
had mentioned she’d be somewhere and I forgot and didn’t write it down. I mean Elizabeth’s
probably the last person on earth you’d think would be in some kind of trouble. She’s
so organized! After that, I didn’t want her to look bad to anyone, so I just kept
stalling anyone who asked for her. I know Nate and that state cop think I’m nuts or
stupid or both.” Jessie rubbed her temples.

“I can understand why you reacted that way. In a way, maybe I did too. I kept making
excuses to myself. First, I expected her to be at Pastor Wilson’s ceremony when they
were getting ready to unearth the skeleton. I just assumed she was busy and couldn’t
attend. Then after we discovered Harry, I still didn’t hear a thing from her. She
knows Jack has flashbacks to the war when he gets upset and she worries about him
too. I kept calling her and leaving messages and didn’t hear back. So, it was a couple
of days before I decided something was really wrong and I finally reached you. And
you know the rest.”

Jessie nodded sadly. “She’s such a nice lady. I really hope . . .” Jessie trailed
off. There was no need to continue the thought. Both she and Lucky were doing their
best to push the worst-case scenario out of their heads.

Jessie sighed. “It’s just so weird. There’s been nothing out of the ordinary. Elizabeth
was here as usual. She left a minute before I did, and said, “Night, Jessie. See you
tomorrow.’ I definitely should have freaked sooner. She’s always very methodical.
She never would have told me she’d see me the next day if she had another appointment
or had to go out of town. I am a total idiot!” Jessie stifled a sob.

Lucky’s heart sank. How many times do we say those very words to loved ones, coworkers,
friends, never suspecting there might not be a tomorrow. She remembered the last phone
conversation she had had with her mother, just before the holidays. Remembered how
excited her mother had been that they would be together soon, and her description
of the holiday dinner she was planning. A dinner that never happened.

“Have you searched her desk?”

“Yes. There’s nothing there. Elizabeth is very organized. All of it just pertained
to the office. She didn’t keep any personal papers here at all.”

Lucky heard a footstep behind her and Jessie looked up. Lucky turned to see Edward
Embry standing on the threshold.

“Any news, Jessie?”

“Nothing, Ed. Sorry. Have you met Lucky Jamieson?” Jessie stood and came around the
desk to stand next to Lucky’s chair.

Edward Embry smiled and moved closer to shake Lucky’s hand. “Yes, we’ve met. Nice
to see you again. Elizabeth introduced us at the demonstration.” He leaned against
the large desk. “I’ve been worried sick about her.”

“Jessie mentioned Nate was here yesterday,” Lucky offered.

“He stopped in to see me too. I have a little cubicle I use down the hall. There was
nothing more I could tell him. He did say her car hadn’t been reported, so it doesn’t
seem as if she had an accident. No hospital admissions. I was thinking she might have
had an accident on the road and was injured, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

They sat quietly for a few minutes, brooding about Elizabeth, as if she were an invisible
presence in the room with them. Lucky finally broke the silence. “Jessie, thank you.
It was just a thought that I might find something here. I better get back to the Spoonful.
Janie and Meg are in charge, but it’ll be getting busy.”

“Stop by anytime. I just show up every day and hope she calls. That’s why I haven’t
been volunteering. I figure it’s better for me to stay here and man the phones if
nothing else.”

“You’re probably right.” She turned to Edward. “Let’s all stay in touch in case any
of us hears anything—anything at all.”

Edward straightened up and walked Lucky down the corridor. “Elizabeth’s a wonderful
woman and a dear friend. I’ve been on the ground searches every day since the town
meeting but if there’s anything you can think of that might be of use, please let
me know.”

“I will.” Lucky turned and headed down the long stairway. She turned back to see Edward
Embry standing at the top of the stairs, a very worried look on his face.

Chapter 29

“
W
HAT DID YOU
finally come up with?” Lucky asked, peering over Sage’s shoulder.

“I think I’ve got it. Look—if you add cayenne pepper to the broth at the beginning,
then the peanut butter won’t be too cloying, kind of like an African dish with chicken
and hot pepper.” Sage scribbled a few more notes in the margin of the notebook for
his new recipe.

“I’ve never even heard of peanut butter soup.”

“I think it’s popular in the south. They’re fairly simple soups. Chicken based, celery,
onions and peanut butter, maybe chopped peanuts sprinkled on top. I was just thinking
that red pepper would give it a little kick and you’d still get the creamy taste of
peanuts.”

The bell over the front door rang. Lucky peeked through the hatch. “It’s Sophie.”
Lucky watched as her friend made a beeline for the kitchen.

“Hey, guys!” Sophie announced as she dragged a stool closer and climbed on it. She
dumped her large satchel on the floor. “What are you up to?” she asked.

“Sage is working on a new soup—peanut butter.”

“Yum. Sounds great.” She blew Sage a kiss and, turning to Lucky, remarked, “He’s a
genius, isn’t he?”

Sage rolled his eyes. “Or something.”

“By the way, I’m starving. I could eat an elephant.”

“That’s an idea,” Sage remarked.

“No way,” Lucky replied. “They’re endangered. Plus they’re almost human. They remember
one another and people they’ve met. You can’t even think about killing an elephant
and making soup.”

Sage held up his hands in surrender. “Hey, calm down. Just a joke. I was letting my
mind wander.”

Lucky slipped off her stool. “I’ll fix you something,” she said to Sophie. She mixed
together cubes of chicken, shredded lettuce, almonds, a few bits of arugula, chopped
tomatoes and red onions, and added a light creamy dressing. When it was thoroughly
mixed, she wrapped it up in a large spinach tortilla and placed a few baked chips
on the side.

“Thanks, Lucky. This is just what I need. My feet are killing me and I’m ready to
die from the heat.”

“You need something cool.” Lucky filled a glass with ice cubes and lemonade, adding
a sprig of mint. She handed it to Sophie.

“Mmmm. Fanks,” she replied with a full mouth.

The bell over the front door jangled. “Customers?” Sage asked.

“So much for a break.” Lucky peeked through the hatch. “It’s Rod Thibeault. I’ll take
care of it.” Sage nodded and returned to his notebook.

Lucky felt a mixture of embarrassment and suspicion at the same time. She didn’t entirely
trust Rod after what she had learned about his disciplinary hearing. But on the other
hand, he enjoyed a good reputation as a lawyer. Was he being completely honest when
he recounted his argument outside the courtroom? Or was he painting a benign picture
and there was a darker side to him? She couldn’t avoid him now. She’d just have to
face him.

Rod joined Jack, Hank and Barry at their table. “An oasis. An oasis in the storm,”
he announced as he sat.

“What’s up, Rod?” Barry asked him.

“Nate’s been on my case. If he out and out accused me of something I could handle
it, but the questions . . . for God’s sake, what’s he thinking? I’m a lawyer. I’m
not gonna kill anybody just ’cause I lost a case.”

“What can I get you, Rod?” Lucky asked as she approached the table.

Rod looked up, a disarming smile on his face. She really hoped he didn’t mention their
meeting in the woods in front of Hank and Barry. “Iced tea would be great. Thanks,
Lucky.”

She nodded and walked behind the counter to prepare the drink. Rod hopped out of his
chair and joined her at the counter. He leaned closer as she poured the iced tea.
“Look, I hope you’re not still harboring suspicions about me.”

“Of course not,” Lucky replied carefully. “I’m sorry if you thought I was accusing
you of something.”

Rod raised his eyebrows. “Well, you were, but it’s okay with me. Friends?” he asked.

“Sure.” Lucky nodded and smiled in a way she hoped looked sincere. She couldn’t help
it. Rod had done nothing to earn her distrust, but she had only his word about the
State Bar hearing and Elizabeth’s role in it. And Jack had made a good point. If Rod
were so concerned about finding Elizabeth, why wasn’t he on a search team? She handed
Rod his iced tea and he carried it back to the table.

Hank pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. “There were plenty of other
people with a much better motive to kill Rowland than you,” he said to Rod.

Rod’s eyes widened. “Tell that to Nate. He keeps harping on that. Why wasn’t I there?
I told him I had a court appearance that afternoon.” Rod heaved a sigh. “Worst of
it is, I just didn’t feel like watching the Reenactment. I didn’t want to be in town
no matter what. I think a lot of people feel I dropped the ball not getting that injunction.

“We don’t think you dropped the ball,” Hank replied. “They can blame those idiots
on the council—all except for Ed Embry. The only man with the you-know-whats to stand
up to Rowland.”

Rod leaned over the table and spoke quietly to the men. Lucky remained at the counter,
eavesdropping on their conversation now that the restaurant was nearly empty. “This
is just between us, but it’s no joke about the town council. I know for a fact there
was talk about taking some parcels of Norman Rank’s land by eminent domain.”

“Eminent domain?” Hank asked. “What for?”

“For some other dumb project Rowland had in mind. Norman Rank’s the one Nate should
be talking to.”

Barry and Hank exchanged a look across the table. Hank turned to Rod. “Too bad you
weren’t at the town meeting.”

“Why?” Rod asked.

“Rowland showed up and he and Norman almost came to blows. Rowland made a remark about
Norman needing to watch out before he lost some of his precious real estate.”

“Whew!” Rod whistled. “Norman must have gone ballistic. Sounds like maybe he’s heard
the rumors.”

“Who told you?” Hank asked.

“I can’t say. The person who told me didn’t care if the word got around, just didn’t
want anyone to know where it came from.” Rod took a long swallow of his iced tea.
“Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not accusing Norman of murdering Rowland—not at all—but
if anybody had a motive it was him. There’s another strange thing . . .”

Hank tilted his head back and looked quizzically at Rod over his pince-nez glasses.
“What’s that?”

“Well, it may mean nothing at all, but I saw Harry Hodges talking to Rowland the day
before Hodges was murdered. I had come into town to meet with a new client and parked
my car on the other side of Water Street. When I came back to my car, I saw them on
the Green. They looked like they were discussing something pretty serious.”

“I’ve heard that before,” Barry said. “Some people thought Harry was making a backdoor
deal with Rowland.”

Rod shrugged. “Maybe he was. Maybe he was making a last-ditch effort to talk Rowland
into putting it behind his shop. Would have been good for both of them.”

“And now they’re both dead,” Jack replied. “It seems the car wash was the thing they
had in common. I just hope Nate gets to the bottom of this soon.”