“Yes. I told you that Hank had me rethink how nice you’d been. But I don’t think you killed Paul.” I bit the corner of my lip, thinking about Henry and Ty. “Though it does look bad that it was your gun.”
“And,” she took a cigarette out of the pouch and tucked it into the corner of her lip. “Paul had come to town the day he escaped from jail. He gave me the sob story about how he needed money because he was going to prove that he didn’t take everyone’s money that his partner had.”
“He didn’t have a partner.” I couldn’t believe how he lied even when he escaped. “How did he get out of jail?”
“That’s a good question. He skipped around it and when he refused to answer my questions, I told him I wasn’t going to even think about giving him money. There was something that didn’t sit well right here.” She pointed to her stomach. “That’s when I called the police to let them know that he was in town. Then you showed up the next day.”
“That’s why they think I did it and realized I wasn’t here when they pinged my cell phone location.” I sighed. “And now he has you on footage with Paul, plus the gun.”
“It doesn’t look good. I never go anywhere but the Laundry Club and here. I don’t have an alibi with witnesses. I was here watching The Real Housewives. I can tell them everything that happened and who got into fights on that episode, but that’s not good enough.” Her determination faltered.
“I’m no detective, but I’ve been in many circles of women who liked to back stab each other. I can read people really good.” My confidence was starting to come back about my intuition. “I want you to look into Henry and what he was doing that night. He’s a suspect too since Paul had taken him for all his money.”
“I can do that. What are you going to do?” she questioned.
“I’m going to go to the bank and see if I can talk Ann into letting me see the footage of you talking to Paul. Someone else had to know he was in town and if there’s anything on there, the slightest thing, we might have something.” I stood up and looked out her window when I heard gravel spitting up underneath some tires.
It was Betts Hager in her mini-van ready to pick me up to take me to town.
“I can’t promise anything, but I’m going to try.” I said. “I’ll be back this afternoon. And think about the office thing. That I’m serious about.”
“Thanks, Mae.” Dottie reached for her lighter on my way out the door.
TWELVE
“A car?” Betts questioned.
“Yeah. I don’t need something big. I just need a little something to get me back and forth into town and around the campground.” I’d asked her if she knew anyone with a used car lot around town. “That way you don’t have to keep picking me up. By the way, I want to thank you for sending Lester over to see Alvin.”
“It was nothing.” She scrunched her nose and pulled in front of the library. “Sometimes it’s good to use the big guy above when it’s for the good of the people.”
“Let me know if I can repay the favor. I know I don’t have much.” I gathered my beloved Gucci bag and another not so fancy backpack that I’d found from the previous owners of the camper that I’d dumped my purse contents into it.
“You can show up to church this Sunday, that’s me calling in my favor.” She was relentless.
“Are you on a mission to save every soul in Normal?” I joked.
“If I can.” She winked. “I’ll see what I can find out about a car. And don’t forget book club later,” she reminded me.
“I won’t.” I lied. I’d totally forgotten about it, but now I wouldn’t. “Thanks for bringing the fundraiser items over this morning too.”
“No problem. Do you know when you’re going to make the official date for it?” She asked a really good question.
“Now that Alvin is cleaning up the lake and giving me the sod, I’m thinking we can do it in a couple of days. I’m going to ask Abby to keep getting the word out through her social media marketing with all those hashtags.” I started to laugh. “She said that she’s been getting a great response and there’s a small window between now and the start of the camper season. She’s so nice.”
“Everyone here is nice.” Betts turned in her seat. “Say,” She grabbed her cell phone from the cup holder. “I think the church has a car that you can borrow until you can get your own car.”
“Really?” That would solve a lot of my issues.
“Yeah.” She nodded with a sparkle in her eyes. “We have a donation program. When someone donates a car, they get to write it off of their taxes and Joel Grassle from the gas station looks them over and fixes them up for us.”
“Do you really think I could use it?” I asked. “It’d be such a big help.”
“I’ll call Lester and let you know.” She reached over and grabbed my hand, giving it a squeeze. “Just another good deed from our church.”
“I hear ya,” I winked. “I know. Front row on Sunday.”
I waved goodbye to her and when she was out of eyesight, I didn’t go to the library. I wanted to see Ann before Alvin had decided there wasn’t much more to mow and go in to work.
The bank was empty except for Ann.
“Mae West,” she greeted me and slid off the stool next to the drive-through window. “I’m not sure what you’ve got over Preacher and Mrs. Hager, but they sure have taken a like’n to you.”
“What? You don’t like my charm?” I joked.
“I didn’t tell no one about the money you put in Dottie’s account.” There was something to her words that made me think she was prying a little.
“I appreciate that.” I rubbed the outside of the Gucci to get one last feel of what it felt like, so I’d burn it into my memory. I nearly teared up just thinking about what I was about to do.
“Mr. Deters isn’t here if you’re looking for him.” Her eyes drew down to my hand that was gripped around my purse.
“I’m not here to see Mr. Deters. He’s at the campground right now,” I spoke with a softly and looked around to make sure we were still alone. I put the Gucci on the counter in front of me. “Ann, have you ever seen the inside of a real Gucci?”
“I’ve never seen a real one until you walked in yesterday.” She licked her lips.
“Detective Sharp and I were talking on the way back to the campground yesterday.” I tilted my head side to side a few times in a jovial way. “I’m helping him with the investigation since I know a lot of people Paul swindled. He said that the security footage showed Dottie Swaggert and Paul meeting the day someone killed him. When he got the copy back to the station, he said that it didn’t copy all of it and he sent me here to get another copy for him.”
“He did?” She gazed at me with questioning eyes. “That seems odd that he’d ask for your help since you’re not a police officer or detective.”
I pushed the Gucci a little closer to her and opened it up. She leaned in a smidgen and looked inside. Her big gulp told me that I almost had her on the hook.
“I’m willing to part with the Gucci if you’re willing to give me a copy of the tape.” I stared at her.
“Are you joking?” she asked.
I couldn’t tell if she was happy or just shocked I’d even consider a bribe.
“I never joke about Gucci.” I let the silence between us speak for itself.
Without a word or even a facial movement, Ann got up and walked back into the vault. I heard some shuffling and clicking, praying it wasn’t her calling the police or better yet, Hank.
The door of the bank opened and someone walked in, stopping at the counter in the middle with the extra deposit slips.
“Mrs. West.” Ann’s eyes glanced past my shoulders and she looked at the customer. “Here’s the contents of your safety deposit box.” She laid a CD file on the counter and grabbed the Gucci.
“Thank you so much. I just love this bank.” I smiled and looked behind me when the customer walked up and waited at the sign that said to wait there until the teller called them.
“The pleasure is all mine.” She smiled.
I took the CD and headed out the door, walking towards the library.