The Saint Paddy's Promise Read online

  “And no one noticed anyone come in who seemed to have a grievance with him?”

  Mike took a bite of his sandwich and washed it down with a swig of his cola. “No one has been willing to say as much. Of course, it was a busy Saturday night and there had to have been dozens of customers in and out of the place. We’ve only been able to interview a handful of people so far, and those were mainly spectators who gathered in the parking lot to see what was going on when they noticed the emergency vehicles on the property. Frank is searching Brick’s home as we speak, and I plan to head back over tonight as well. I figure I’ll start by making a complete list of everyone who was in the bar from open to close. Someone had to have seen something.”

  “If you need any help, you know you just need to ask,” I said.

  “I know, but this is an open police investigation. I think it best if Frank and I handle things at this point.”

  After Mike ate, he headed over to the station to meet up with Frank, Bree claimed to have a headache and said she was heading to bed, and Tony and I said our goodbyes and headed to my cabin. I still had Tilly with me, but Tony’s dog, Titan, was at the cabin, and we decided to take both dogs out for a quick run before we settled in for a night of gaming. Despite the warmth of the day, it had turned cold once the sun set, so we bundled up and grabbed our flashlights before setting out.

  “What a roller coaster of a day,” I said to Tony after we reached the frequently traveled trail near my cabin. “For me, it started out on such a high with our successful training session, followed by a fascinating conversation with new people I met in the park. I hit a bit of a bump when I first arrived at Bree’s and found her on the phone yelling at the caterer, but we even managed to get her and her wedding plans back on track, so I felt like things were climbing once again. And then to find out that Brick has been murdered… Talk about an unexpected plunge. I still can’t believe it.”

  “Brick was a great guy, but the profession he chose wasn’t exactly the safest one in the world.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Owning a bar and tending it yourself pretty much guarantees that you are going to spend a good amount of time in the presence of men and women who have been drinking. Many of Brick’s customers will have come to the bar to celebrate a victory or milestone, but just as many most likely patronized the establishment to numb their emotions and drown their sorrows. It is not at all unusual for someone who has had too much to drink to turn violent, especially if they have been provoked in some way, or just think they have.”

  I leaned my head on Tony’s shoulder. “Yeah. I guess you’re right. I suppose that Brick’s death could very well have been the result of a random event caused by a customer who drank a bit too much and went a little crazy. Still, it might also be that Brick died at the hands of someone who had not simply lost control of his emotions but had come to the bar with the intention of killing him.”

  “I guess that may be true as well. I imagine that Mike will sort it all out.”

  “I could tell he wanted us to stay out of it and let him handle things.”

  “That can be expected,” Tony answered.

  “Yeah.” I sighed. “But Brick was a friend. It will be hard to stand back and not get my hands dirty.”

  “Has it occurred to you that by getting involved in Mike’s active investigations, you are demonstrating that you don’t have faith in his ability to do his job without you?”

  I frowned. “Actually, I never looked at it that way. I guess I can understand how it might. Especially to Mike.”

  “I think it is best if we both take a step back and let him do his job. If he wants our help, he will ask for it.”

  I nodded and glanced up at Tony’s face. “Okay. I will agree to take a step back, but perhaps we should change the subject.”

  Tony did just that. “So, you mentioned people that you met in the park.”

  “An elderly woman and her granddaughter. I hope you don’t mind, but I sort of volunteered you to help them solve a sixty-year-old mystery.”

  Tony raised a brow. “Sixty years old?”

  “Love found, love lost, questions lingering without any answers. I suppose that after all this time a few unanswered questions might not seem all that important, but I could sense they were important to the woman who had held them in her heart.”

  “I suppose you should start at the beginning.”

  I smiled. “It all started when a man met a woman and fell in love…”

  Chapter 3

  Monday, March 18

  “Morning, Hap,” I said to Hap Hollister, the owner of the local home-and-hardware store as Tilly and I entered through the front door to deliver his daily mail.

  “Tess; Tilly. It looks like another beautiful day.”

  I smiled. “So beautiful. Rationally, I know that this is only March and we are likely to get more snow before summer actually arrives, but this springlike weather has definitely given me a case of spring fever. I actually had serious thoughts about getting out my deck furniture, but then I realized how crazy that would be when it is almost guaranteed that it will snow at least one more time.”

  “I’ve had two customers come in this morning looking for annuals for their barrels and baskets. I had to remind them that I wouldn’t be stocking the delicate flowers until the middle of May, which is almost two months away. It’s hard not to want to skip the next eight weeks and get right to it, but by the time you get to be my age, you realize that time, even time spent during the winter, is too precious to wish away.”

  I set a stack of mail on the counter. “I hear you. I suppose there are no guarantees at any age. I guess you heard about Brick.”

  Hap tightened his lips and bowed his head. “I heard. Such a damn shame. I just can’t imagine who would want to kill a nice guy like him.”

  “Tony thinks it might have been a customer who had too much to drink and took out their anger and frustration on the only person around. I suppose it could have happened that way, especially if drugs were involved. But it is too early to know for sure. It could also have been someone with a grudge who came to the bar after it closed with the intention of killing him.”

  “Does Mike have a theory?” Hap asked.

  “I haven’t talked to him today, but as of yesterday around dinnertime, he had no idea what had happened or who might be guilty. He’s a good cop; he’ll figure it out. Do you have any outgoing mail?”

  Hap reached under the counter and brought up a single manila envelope. “Just the one item today. Have you been by Hattie’s yet?”

  Hattie was Hap’s ex-wife and current girlfriend. Or something like that. To be honest, I wasn’t really clear on their current marital status. “Not yet. I started on the north end of the street today.”

  “When you see her, can you ask her to answer her dad-gum phone? I’ve been calling her all morning and it just rings through to her voice mail.”

  “I hope nothing is wrong.”

  Hap’s lips tightened as he shook his head. “Nothing is wrong. We had a spat over the weekend and I’m willing to bet she is avoiding me. She made it clear that she was not going to speak to me until I apologized, but how is a man supposed to apologize if she won’t answer her dang phone?”

  I picked up Hap’s envelope and slipped it into my bag. “I’m certainly not an expert when it comes to relationships and have made plenty of my own mistakes along the way, but it seems to me that if Hattie is mad enough to avoid you, an apology in person might be called for.”

  Hap groaned. “I was afraid of that. She knows I don’t do well with the mushy stuff.”

  “An apology doesn’t have to be mushy, it just has to be sincere.”

  After we left Hap’s, Tilly and I continued south, crossing the street when we came to Sisters’ Diner, the restaurant owned by my mother and my Aunt Ruthie. There was a thick envelope addressed to my mom with no return address that I will admit I was supercurious about. As a mail carrier, the things my custome
rs received were considered to be confidential and absolutely none of my business, but as a daughter…

  “Oh good, the best of dining magazine came,” Aunt Ruthie said when I handed her their stack of mail. “I know we don’t change up our menu all that much, but I do enjoy thumbing through to see what is new and what is over. It can be challenging to keep up with the latest fads, although our clientele is a bit different from the one you would encounter in a big city.”

  “Food fads?” I asked. “I never really thought about food as being something that went in and out of style.”

  “Do you remember fondue?”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “Do you ever see fondue on a menu in any of the White Eagle restaurants nowadays?”

  “No, I guess I don’t. Seems like I don’t see nearly as many wraps, skillet meals, or kabobs as I once did either.”

  “So you get what I am saying.”

  I nodded. “I do. So what’s in now?”

  Ruthie paused to consider my question. “In a way, it depends on your geography. I know that raw food, low carb, gluten free, and dairy free are popular trends in parts of the country, but here in White Eagle, I’ve noticed that a lot of customers have moved away from trendy entrées and begun to request traditional, home-style ones, much like the meals our grandparents served up on Sunday afternoons.”

  “So you are saying meat, potatoes, veggies, and home-baked rolls have replaced low carb and fat free?”

  “For the most part. Of course, I also predict that this warm weather will cause people to start thinking about bathing suits and skimpy shorts, so I imagine that salads and low-carb items will be making a comeback.”

  I had a feeling that Ruthie was right about that. “I imagine you heard about Brick,” I said, changing the subject.

  Ruthie nodded. “Mike stopped by for breakfast. I just don’t understand what this world is coming to. For a man to be gunned down in his own place of business is reprehensible.”

  “I agree. Did Mike say if he had any leads?”

  Ruthie shook her head. “No, he didn’t. Though he did shoot out of here after receiving a text, despite the fact that he was only half done with his meal.”

  “Seems significant. I have to say I’m curious, but I have a job to do, so I’ll have to put that on the back burner for now. Is Mom around?”

  “She took a break so she could go to her garden club meeting.”

  “Garden club? It’s March.”

  “It would appear this heat wave has put everyone in the mood for spring. The group usually doesn’t meet between November and April, but I guess a few of the gals wanted to start talking seeds, so they decided to meet. It’s been slow today, so it was fine with me if your mom wanted to take some time off.”

  Oh well, it looked as if my curiosity regarding the envelope Mom had received would have to wait. “Okay, then, I guess I will see you tomorrow. Have a wonderful rest of your day.”

  I decided to cross the road and continue on that side so as to arrive at Mike’s office sooner rather than later. That would result in a circle eight sort of delivery pattern, which might confuse some of the business owners who might have been anticipating my arrival, but I wanted to see what, if anything, Mike might have discovered since the evening before. It was possible he might not even be in his office with an active investigation underway, but I supposed if he wasn’t, I could always swing back by once my route was done.

  “Morning, Frank,” I greeted Mike’s partner. “Mike in?”

  “No. He’s out talking to folks about what happened over at Brick’s place. I’m holding down the fort here.”

  “Have you heard anything?” I set a pile of mail on Frank’s desk, then slipped off my mailbag and sat down on the chair across the desk from him. Tilly wandered over to say hi to Mike’s dog, Leonard, who had been sleeping next to Frank’s chair.

  “A couple of folks have mentioned that Brick was spotted having an argument with Lance Castle on Saturday night,” Frank answered. “It seems it was a pretty lively discussion regarding Lance’s assertion that Brick had been stepping out with his wife. Those who overheard it tended to agree that Lance was drunk and not making a lot of sense. Brick kicked him out, but there are some folks who suspected he might have come back to the bar after closing to settle the argument once and for all.”

  I knew Lance. He was a hothead who liked to spout off about things he knew nothing about, seemingly just to make noise. He was a hunter and he had at least one gun that I knew of. “What sort of gun was used to kill Brick?”

  “We don’t have the bullet, but it looks like he was shot with a handgun at fairly close range.”

  “You don’t have the slug? Where is it?”

  “It looks like the killer dug it out of the wall and took it with him.”

  That didn’t strike me as the action of a man who was drunk out of his mind. It sounded a lot more like a man, or a woman, who showed up with a clear head and murder on their mind.

  “What did Lance say when he was asked about his whereabouts on Saturday night?”

  “He admitted to getting skunk drunk before going to the bar, where he confronted Brick about having an affair with his wife. He said he didn’t remember Brick kicking him out, but that fit the fact that he woke up slumped over the wheel of his car, which, apparently, he ran off the road and into a field shortly after leaving the bar. He said he didn’t remember what happened between the time he confronted Brick and when he woke up in his car, but he did say that he was sure he hadn’t shot Brick. The lack of either a gun in his car or gunshot residue on his hands or clothing seems to confirm that, but it is possible he is lying.”

  “But if he was lying about shooting Brick, wouldn’t he have residue on his hands and clothes?”

  “Not if he shot Brick, went home and took a shower and cleaned up, then drove his car into the field, where he waited until morning so he’d have an alibi.”

  “If he had the presence of mind to actually plan an alibi, the one he came up with seems pretty lame.”

  Frank shrugged. “Maybe. All we can do at this point is dig up every lead we can and then follow the evidence, or lack of evidence, to its natural conclusion.”

  “I guess that much is true. Are there any other suspects right now?”

  “A few. I know that Mike planned to talk to Lance’s wife and his best friend today, so maybe he either will have cleared or arrested Lance by the time you come back here. If Lance turns out to be innocent, though, my money is on Dover Boswell.”

  Dover Boswell was one of Brick’s part-time bartenders. “Why do you suspect him?”

  “Brick fired him a couple of weeks ago.”

  “Why? He seems like a nice guy.”

  “Brick accused him of stealing. He even came in here and tried to get us to arrest him, but Brick didn’t have any evidence to back up his claim. I did speak to Dover afterward, and he claimed he was innocent. I will say that the guy was about as mad as I’ve ever seen him. I suppose being madder than a wet hen doesn’t mean that he was mad enough to kill the guy. For all I know, Dover might be guilty of stealing from Brick, as he insisted he was. I know both men fairly well, and Dover doesn’t strike me as the sort to steal from his boss, but then, Brick didn’t strike me as the sort to make up lies either. I just hope that Dover doesn’t get pulled into this if he is innocent. He has a wife and two little kids to think about.”

  “And if he isn’t innocent?”

  “If he did steal from Brick, and especially if he killed him, then of course he needs to pay for what he’s done.”

  I glanced at the clock on the wall. “As interested as I am in this case, I need to finish my route. I might come back at the end of the day to talk to Mike if he is around.”

  I left the police station with a lot on my mind. Dover Boswell? I just couldn’t see it. He seemed like such a nice guy. I honestly couldn’t imagine him as a thief or a killer. Lance Castle, on the other hand… The more I thought about it, the more
I realized that I could totally see him as the sort of person who would kill someone.

  Deciding that if I wanted to get my route done before the businesses in town closed for the day I needed to get going, I put all thoughts of murder out of my mind and focused on the task before me. My next stop was the furniture store, followed by the five-and-dime. Both would be easy to get in and out of, but after that was the Book Boutique, Bree’s store, and my stop there always demanded at least a fifteen-minute conversation.

  “I only have a few minutes,” I said to her the minute I walked in to the bookstore. “Everyone wants to talk about Brick’s murder, which has put me way behind schedule.”

  “Is there any news?” Bree asked as I handed her a stack of mail.

  “Not really. There is a lot of speculation, but I don’t think anyone really knows what happened. Did Mike come back by your place after he got off last night?”

  “No. He texted to let me know he would be working late, so he was going to go straight home. I’m hoping that he won’t have to work late tonight too. I really need to talk to him about The Lakehouse as a venue for the wedding.”

  “Maybe you can arrange to meet for dinner even if he does have to work late. I know you hoped he could go with you to tour the facility, but if he can’t take the time off to do it, I suppose you can just ask him for his opinion and then take the tour yourself. Or I can go with you, if you don’t want to go alone. It’s not like you and Mike haven’t been there before. You know what the place looks like, so all you really need to do is to meet with the event coordinator to discuss the specifics of your particular affair.”

  Bree set her mail on the counter. “I guess that could work. I’ll call Mike later to see what his day looks like. If I need you to go with me, I’ll text you. I might even be able to convince the woman I spoke to yesterday to give us more time to commit once I explain the situation. I really want Mike to be part of this decision.”

  “I know you do. And I’m sure he wants that as well. I need to run, but I’ll call you later and we can chat more about it.”