Distinguished Bumpkin Read online

  “The body?” Hal nodded. “It’s definitely not good that another body showed up in his home.”

  She leaned closer. “I saw you speaking to the Sheriff. Do you know who died?”

  That was the moment I realized she’d wanted us to sit with her so she could pick Hal’s brain about the murder. It made sense. There’s a reason people gather around disasters. Human nature makes us naturally curious about that type of thing.

  “His name was Jonathan Calliente. He owned the catering company.”

  Her eyes went wide. “I know Jonathan. Well…” she clarified. “I don’t know know him. But we’ve met. Some of my friends use his catering services in Indianapolis.” She nibbled some lettuce, her pretty face creasing into a frown.

  Max placed pie in front of Hal and me. “Enjoy.”

  “What’s wrong?” Hal asked Tiffany after Max had left.

  “What? Oh. I was just remembering that Mr. Calliente wasn’t very popular with some of his clients. He tended to bill more than he said his services would cost. Maybe that’s why he was working out here in the…” She stopped, her face flushing again. “Sorry. I’m a died-in-the-wool city girl.”

  I laughed. “No worries. Bumpkinville isn’t for everybody.”

  She gave a less than ladylike snort at that. “Bumpkinville. That’s wonderful.” She cocked her head. “Do you like it here?”

  “I’d never live anywhere else. It’s an entirely different lifestyle. One that suits me.”

  She chewed thoughtfully. “I can see the charm. But I’d miss the shopping and the shows.”

  I fake-frowned. “Clearly, you haven’t experienced Junior’s Market. Once you’ve been in there, you’ll never want to shop again.”

  She threw back her head and laughed. “I like you, Joey.”

  I liked her too. “Ditto.”

  “Tell me about yourself.”

  Twenty minutes later, she was wiping tears from her eyes and declaring she needed a pig, a dog, and a cat.

  “There’s never a dull moment,” I agreed.

  Tiffany glanced at her diamond-studded gold watch. “It’s late. I should be going.” She turned to flag Max down and ordered a piece of pie to go. “I can’t wait to try it,” she said with a wide smile.

  Hal leaned forward. “Before you go, I wonder if you could answer a couple more questions for me?”

  “Sure.”

  “Did you by any chance meet the woman in the room above yours?”

  “No. Should I have?”

  “Not necessarily. But you might have recognized her if you had. Her name was Pam Wickham. She was Jonathan Calliente’s fiancé.”

  Understanding slowly lit Tiffany’s eyes. “She worked in the business too.”

  “Yes. They were partners.”

  “Ah. Poor woman. No, I never met her. But I’ll stop up and give her my regrets in the morning.”

  “She’s no longer there,” Hal said.

  “Oh?”

  “I wonder, did you happen to notice anybody visiting her earlier today? Or hear any noises coming from above?”

  Tiffany thought about it. “There was some thumping around lunchtime. I thought I might have heard a short scream, but Martin told me it was probably just the television.” Her expression tightened with concern. “Did something happen to her?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  She frowned. “Somebody was playing music above me. It was loud. I complained once, and it went quiet a little after that.” She placed a hand over her mouth. “Was she killed?”

  “Around noon.”

  Tiffany made a small sound of horror, and tears filled her eyes. “I heard her. I might have saved her.”

  “You couldn’t have known,” I said, reaching across the table to clasp her hand.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t hear the sirens and see all the police cars,” Hal told her.

  “When were they there?”

  “We found the body around six o’clock. The police arrived twenty minutes later.”

  She stared at Hal. “I was running along the river about that time. The water is rushing and it’s pretty loud. There was one police car still parked in the lot when I got back, but I just assumed it was somebody who was staying at the hotel.”

  “How far did you run?” I asked, curious.

  “Three miles, give or take. But I stopped and sat by the water for about an hour, just thinking. I find the sheer power of the water fascinating.”

  I laughed. “I’m impressed. I’d drop dead if I ran more than a mile.”

  She gave me a sad smile, shaking her head. “Running makes my world seem less crazy. It calms me.”

  “How long was the mayor at the hotel with you?” Hal’s tone was soft, his manner non-confrontational, but I saw Tiffany stiffen just the same.

  “You think we’re having an affair.” It wasn’t a question, and the guilty way her gaze kept sliding away told me there might be some truth in it.

  She shook her head as if she’d read my mind. “We’re not.” She frowned. “Martin would like it to be something, but I really can’t let that happen.”

  “Why not?” I asked.

  She appeared surprised by my question. “He’s a married man.”

  I nodded, understanding why that would be a problem for her. It would be for me. Even if his wife was in prison. But I had to wonder if that was the only reason.

  Tiffany’s shoulders loosened when she realized we weren’t going to press her on the situation. She sighed. “I know how it looks. And, if I’m being honest, I was tempted. Martin and I had a good thing in college. But he’s different now. And I’ve pretty much stayed the same.”

  I nodded toward the diamond band on her left hand. “You got married too.”

  To my surprise, she barked out an almost angry laugh. “Divorced. The marriage barely outlasted the wedding.” She ran a finger over the sparkling stones on her ring. “I wear this just so men will leave me alone. I’m not interested in anything but friendship right now.”

  “What time did Mayor Robb leave the hotel?” Hal asked.

  She blinked, clearly surprised. “You don’t think he killed that woman?”

  “I haven’t formed an opinion on anything yet,” Hal told her with a smile that was meant to soothe. “I’m simply getting as many facts as I can.”

  She nodded. “He left a little while after the music stopped upstairs. Maybe twelve-thirty? It wasn’t much after that, anyway.”

  Hal handed her a card. “If you think of anything else. Anything at all, will you call me?”

  “Of course.”

  We climbed to our feet and watched Tiffany walk out of the diner. She seemed genuinely upset. Given the fact that she’d been in the vicinity of back-to-back murders, it made perfect sense. “She’ll probably get in her car and start driving back to Indy tonight. I wouldn’t blame her.”

  Hal nodded. “I wouldn’t blame her either. But I hope she doesn’t.”

  I glanced at him and was surprised to see speculation painting his expression. “What is it?”

  “I’m not sure,” he responded. “But what are the chances that Tiffany Brooks would be within spitting distance of two murders and not be somehow connected?”

  That thought made me frown. “Not good?”

  He wrapped an arm around me and tugged me close.

  “Not good at all.”

  12

  We had a surprise waiting for us when we walked out of Sonny’s. A big man, exuding strength and power despite being in his mid-fifties, leaned against a cream-colored SUV with the sheriff’s logo on the side. It was parked next to Hal’s Escalade.

  His muscular arms crossed over his chest, Sheriff Mulhern straightened and shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans, his dark brown gaze tracking us as we approached.

  Mulhern extended his hand to Hal, giving us a wide smile that showed a lot of very white teeth. “Amity.” He looked my way and doffed his cowboy hat in an old-fashioned move that I was sure was
meant to be charming. I was a little charmed. But I knew too much about the sheriff to be totally taken in by the act. “Miss Joey Fulle. It’s a pleasure to run into you. How’s your mom doing?”

  I gave him back a smile I hoped looked more genuine than it felt on my face. “She and Garland are in Paris. Last I heard, they were having the time of their lives.”

  His smile dimmed. If I hadn’t been watching for it, I would probably have missed it. Message sent and received. He needed to be reminded that, although he had some powerful friends, so did I.

  “If you want food, you’d better hurry,” Hal said amiably. “Max will be closing down the grill soon.”

  Mulhern’s grin turned a little mean around the edges. “Spoken like a man who’s worked the grill.”

  Hal laughed. “I have, and I’ll admit it was eye-opening. People who work in a restaurant deserve a lot of credit. Their jobs are hard, and they put up with a lot of guff they don’t deserve.”

  I patted him on the back. “That guy was a jerk,” I told him. “And I totally disagree. You do know how to burn a perfectly good burger.”

  Mulhern laughed. “I’ll remember your words of wisdom the next time I’m at a restaurant.”

  Hal inclined his head. “What can I help you with tonight, Sheriff?”

  The cop leaned back against his car again, crossing his legs at the ankles as he appeared to be considering what he wanted to say. Finally, he scrubbed a big hand over his face. When he looked up again, his expression was classic regret. Mulhern was quite the thespian. “I don’t want you to think this is personal.” He skimmed his faux despair in my direction. I held his gaze, giving nothing away. “I just can’t have you going around harassing the people of Deer Hollow. I have residents callin’ me to complain that people without a badge are grillin’ them about stuff.”

  “Really?” Hal wore a slight smile. “That surprises me. I don’t think I’ve annoyed anybody recently.”

  Arms crossed over my chest, I avoided the sheriff’s gaze as my blood began to boil. I knew what he was building up to, and it was beyond unfair. I kept my gaze on his chest, focused on a black spot on the collar of his uniform shirt near the pocket. It looked like he’d jammed an open sharpie into his pocket.

  Mulhern ignored Hal’s remark. “Then there’s the budget concerns. I can’t continue to justify payin’ an outsider to do the work my deputies should do.”

  Hal nodded, hands on hips. “I’m glad to hear you’re going to hire some more deputies. I’m sure your people will be relieved. Their workload is exhausting.”

  Mulhern’s fake smile slid completely away. His jaw tightened. “You’re not tellin’ me how to run my office, are you, Amity?”

  “Somebody needs to,” I said before I could stop myself. “Hal’s got the background and skill to really do you some good. I have to wonder why you wouldn’t want to accept help from him.”

  “Joey,” Hal warned softly.

  I placed a hand on his arm. “I’ll shut up now. But that needed to be said.” I turned and walked away, climbing into Hal’s car and slamming the door before my big mouth got Hal in trouble. I watched the two men for another minute, seething, and then glared at Mulhern through the window as Hal headed around the car.

  When he slipped behind the wheel, I turned to him, arching a brow in question.

  “I wonder what’s put the bee in his britches about our investigation,” Hal murmured.

  “A massive brain malfunction?”

  Hal laughed. To my surprise, he didn’t seem all that upset about being fired. When I said as much to him, he shrugged. “It’s been coming for a while. At least the separation should take Arno out of the line of fire.”

  “What now?” I asked.

  “Now, we keep moving forward. I’m a PI. I don’t need the sheriff’s permission to do my job.”

  I grinned. “I’m sensing another dollar bill in your immediate future.”

  He backed out of the spot and headed toward home. “Just a dollar? I’m pretty sure I’m worth at least five.”

  “Oh,” I said with feeling, “You’re worth at least six or seven.”

  His laughter took some of the tightness from my shoulders, but that still left me with an ache in my heart for what Mulhern’s tricks might do to my PI and me on a personal level. Hal couldn’t survive very long if I was the only one paying him. And his pride wouldn’t let that happen anyway.

  But if the sheriff kept him from getting jobs in the area, Hal would have to return to Indianapolis full time. And that thought made my heart hurt.

  Hal walked me to my front door and gave me a kiss that made my knees melt. As he broke the kiss, I sighed. “No wonder I keep hiring you as my PI. You have mad skills.”

  Tugging a strand of my hair, he laughed. “I’m going to assume you mean my dogged persistence and ability to ferret out even the smallest detail of a tough case.”

  I let my lips curl into a slow smile. “You can go ahead and assume. But you know what they say about that.”

  He gave me a quick kiss and turned toward the steps. “I’ll be over in the morning to cook you breakfast.”

  My smile widened. “Now you’re talking my language. Give little Miss Piggy a kiss for me.”

  “I will. Tell the Beauty I’ve got a tennis ball with her name on it for tomorrow.” He opened the car door and grinned at me. “I found some hot pink ones.”

  “She’ll love it.” The pibl didn’t really care what color the balls were. She only cared that her second favorite person in all the world was throwing them for her.

  I waited until Hal’s car left the drive before opening the front door. Caphy didn’t make a habit of chasing cars into the road, but if she knew Hal was in the car, she might do the unthinkable. Still, as I turned the key in the lock, I thought she might peel a few inches of wood off the inside before I got it open.

  I stepped aside as I pushed it open and she shot past me, spun on her heels at the stairs, and came thundering back to swipe a wet kiss over my ankle before tearing off into the yard to do her business.

  “Meow!”

  A soft warmth pressed against my calves. I looked down to find LaLee twining around my legs. “Hey, Diva.” I bent to scratch under her chin.

  She thanked me by putting her teeth on my hand and then stalking back into the house, her long tail beating a rat, tat, tat against the air.

  “Fickle feline,” I mumbled.

  My cell rang, and I dug it out of my pocket. I didn’t recognize the number and almost didn’t answer it. But I was a glutton for punishment, so I did. “Hello?”

  “Is this Joey Fulle?”

  I frowned. “Who’s calling?” I made it a practice not to give out information unless I knew who I was giving it to. Not even my name.

  “Mayor Robb has bad things in his past and dangerous friends. Watch your step.”

  The call disconnected and I stared at it, shocked and chilled by the urgently whispered message. “What just happened?” I mumbled to myself.

  Suddenly chilled, I called Caphy and went into the house, locking the door after the pitty joined me. I briefly considered calling Hal and telling him about the call, but it was late, and the caller really hadn’t told me anything I didn’t already know.

  Except for the part about Robb having dangerous friends. What had the caller meant by that?

  When the phone rang again, I jumped, my heart pounding against my ribs. But a quick glance at the screen told me I had nothing to fear. I hit the answer button. “Hey, Lis. What are you doing up so late?”

  Since retiring from the modeling world, my bestie had become an early-to-rise, early-to-bed type of gal. It was rare for her to call me after nine pm.

  “Hey, girlfriend. I’m sorry to call so late.”

  “It’s okay. I just got home. What’s up?”

  “It’s maybe nothing, but I was showing a house across the street from the diner tonight, and I saw you and Hal go inside.”

  “You should have come over and
had pie with us.”

  “I couldn’t. This couple I’m working with is going to be the death of me. They’re first-time buyers who don’t want to spend a lot of money, but they want everything. Granite countertops, massive rooms, a swimming pool, blah, blah, blah.”

  I laughed. I’d seen enough of those home-buying shows to know exactly the type she meant.

  “To make things worse, the husband wants a traditional style, and the wife wants contemporary. And they both work until seven-thirty, so all of our appointments are late.”

  She sighed. “I’m exhausted.”

  “Poor baby. I feel your pain. It sounds like you need a girl’s weekend in Indianapolis. I’m sure Felly would love to join us.”

  Felicity Chance was my cousin. Felly lived about an hour away in Indianapolis. The three of us had fun together no matter what we did, even if we just stayed inside, watched Rom Cons together, and ate too much.

  “That sounds perfect! But it’ll have to wait until next weekend, I’m afraid. I’m booked solid through this weekend and all next week.”

  “It’s a date.”

  “Anyway, I got distracted. The reason I called was…” She hesitated. “I’m probably being stupid, but…”

  “Lis, spit it out. I’m growing roots here.”

  “I’m pretty sure you were being followed tonight.”

  Any inclination to tease her died on my lips. “Followed? What do you mean?”

  “When you guys parked and went into the diner, a car pulled up across the street and sat there. The guy inside didn’t leave the car. And he was staring at the diner for a long time.”

  I tried to remember if there’d been a car across the street when we came out of Sonny’s. I didn’t remember any, but I’d been focused on Sheriff Mulhern. “Was it still there when we left?”

  “No, that’s the thing. When the sheriff pulled into a spot next to yours, the guy left so fast I’m surprised he didn’t leave skid marks on the road.”