My cell phone rang. I tried to keep my breathing and hands steady when I saw it was Grady Cox, Paul’s longtime friend and one of the investors on the list that I’d mentioned to Hank. I sent it to voicemail and slipped my phone into my pocket. I’d call him back when I was ready to talk to him. I’m sure he just wanted me to know what he thought of Paul. He wouldn’t be the first person to have called me.
“It’s not blood money. I did have a life before I was married, and this is mine.” So I might’ve told a little white lie but it was for the good of helping someone out. They didn’t need to know. I just wanted to do something right. “I told you earlier that I was going to make it right with people in Normal. Dottie practically worked for free the past couple of years and I don’t want her to do that anymore now that I’m the new owner.”
“I thought you said that you didn’t have anything to put down for a line of credit to fix up the park?” He asked with suspicion in his eyes.
“I have a little money that I want to use to help others, but that doesn’t concern you. It appears that we only have about fifteen seconds.” I pushed the hundreds towards Ann. “If you don’t mind.”
Ann slide a look over to Alvin who gave her a nod. I stood there waiting for the transaction to be completed and took the teller receipt.
“Thank you, Ann.” I forced a grin and twirled around on my toes as I mentally prepared myself for the walking journey I was about to embark on.
Not that I didn’t like walking, I did. I didn’t like the fact that I didn’t have transportation, other than the camper. I felt good and happy that I’d given Dottie some money. It definitely wasn’t enough, but it was a start. The sun was shining down on my face. I wasn’t in my ideal living situation but I couldn’t complain. I had a roof over my head, a few new friends, and food. I wasn’t going to let a little thing like not having all the cash I needed to fix up the campground, or the fact that I was going to have to walk miles and miles out of town, get me down. After all, I had a purpose since coming to Normal. I had to fix the campground up and also help get Dottie off the hook.
I was careful to hug the pavement at the edge of the road. I’d heard awful tales and seen terrible news reports about people getting hit and that was something I didn’t want to do, so when I heard a car coming, I took a step off the pavement and into the grass to wait for it to pass.
Only the car didn’t pass, it pulled over. I’d recognize that black car anywhere. Instead of giving Hank Sharp the time, I walked right past him.
“You don’t want a ride?” I heard him holler out the window. “I’m going to the campground.”
My continued walking apparently didn’t give him the hint, because he drove his car slowly next to me, giving me that charming southern smile with the passenger side window rolled down.
“I know you’re upset with me.” He appeared to be enjoying this.
“What gave you that impression?” I asked.
“I don’t know, your lack of stopping and keeping walking when I could give you a ride or maybe because you didn’t answer me. Just a guess though.” He stopped and put his car in park.
When I heard his door shut, I stopped walking and turned around to find him jogging up to me.
“If you aren’t going to stop, I’ll just come to you.” He picked up the pace when I picked up the pace.
“I’m taking a walk.” I shrugged and continued to look forward. “You know, exercise.”
“Funny because I hear that you’ve been snooping around the diner.” He was relentless.
“I think it’s funny that you feel like you need to keep tabs on me.” I stopped and looked at him. “Is that legal?” I pointed to his car. “Because I don’t think so and I can call a citizens arrest.”
“Been watching Andy Griffin?” He laughed.
“Who?” I questioned.
“You don’t know what the Andy Griffin Show is?” His brows furrowed.
“Listen, I just want to do my walk, so if you don’t mind.” I turned and started to walk.
“I think I’ve got the killer of your husband.” His words brought me to a screeching halt. I turned back around. “I thought that’d get your attention.” This time his smile was like the cat that caught the canary. “Now can I drive you back to the trailer park?”
“RV park,” I corrected him and walked back towards him and then past him. “Only because I’m curious.”
“Curiosity always got the cat.” He laughed, and I could hear his footsteps behind me.
“You love this little cat and mouse game between us, don’t you?” I glared at him from the passenger side and over the hood.
“Technically, I don’t know who killed your husband.” he said once he got into the car. “I just wanted to get you in the car, so you’d not walk on this road. It can be dangerous.”
“Ex.” I grabbed the door handle to jump out. His hand was much quicker on the lock. I jerked myself back in the seat.
“I’m pretty quick. You should see me draw my gun.” He laughed and put the car in drive.
“This is kidnapping,” I informed him and put the seatbelt on.
“No. it’s saving your life. People drive on those curvy roads like the Indy 500. You do know what that is right?” He sped up.
“Of course, I do.” I folded my arms. I might be stuck in his car for a few minutes, but I certainly didn’t have to talk to him.
“I checked out Grady Cox and I can’t seem to find him.” He kept his eyes and hands on the wheel. “I went to his house today. His wife said that she filed a missing persons report. You know when that day was?”
“How would I know?” I asked and took out my phone.
“Take a guess,” he teased.
“I don’t want to take a guess.” I rolled down the window to get a bit of air. The thought that Grady had called me while he was missing made my stomach nauseas.
“The same day your husband was killed.” He flipped the blinker on to turn into the campgrounds and the tick was like a gong in my ear.
“He called me today.” I held my phone out. “He didn’t leave a message.”
“When did he call you?” Hank asked and stopped his car in front of Dottie’s camper.
“He called me less than an hour ago. I’d gone to the bank to try and get a line of credit to help fix this place up but didn’t realize Alvin Deters was also the bank manager.” I shook my head and started to laugh. “I’m beginning to think that luck just isn’t with me.”
“Are you sure he didn’t leave a message?” he asked.
“Here.” I held it out to him again. “Look for yourself.”
“He’s not been at home according to his wife. She did file a report because I went over to their police department.” He turned the car off and the door locks popped up.
“Maybe she’s lying and he killed Paul. She knew it and filed a report to show that he was missing, when in reality he isn’t.” I thought it sounded good, then he blew it out of the water.
“Why would she do that if he was guilty? Wouldn’t he just stay and act as if nothing happened, and not have her file a report that would bring attention to him?” He did that smile thing. “Leave the detective work to me and I’ll leave picking up all those weeds around the lake up to you.”
“Funny,” I said with a sarcastic tone.
“I hear that you and Dottie have become friends since you’ve been here.” His southern tone was velvet, yet edged with steel.
“She’s been very kind and helpful.” I shrugged. “Is that against the law around here?”
“No, but she was seen with Paul the afternoon before he floated up to the top of the lake. “The two of you in cahoots? You might not’ve been in town, but she sure was. And the gun we found in the Happy Trails lake was registered to Dottie”
“Really?” The shock of hearing this sent an icy fear through me. I’d generally been a good judge of character in the past and I’d thought Paul had just been that good at fooling me, but apparently my instincts about people were off. Way off.
“Oh, that’s good.” He wagged his finger at me. “Great poker face.”