Gone With the Win: A Bed-And-Breakfast Mystery (15 page)

“Pat Boone,” Gertrude growled. “But you sound more like his brother, Bab.”

“Fats Domino recorded it, too,” Judith said, coming up from behind her mother. “Dinner is almost ready. I was running a little behind.”

“Nothing little about your behind, Toots,” Gertrude rasped.

Judith ignored the comment. “You can eat with us, if you’d like.”

“I wouldn’t like,” the old lady retorted. “I’ve got my TV programs to watch. Why don’t you have a TV in the kitchen like Serena does? That was one of the few smart things she’s ever done.”

“I gave her that TV for Christmas several years ago,” Judith said, opening the can of beans. “She and Bill don’t watch it during dinner. They eat in the dinette or the dining room.”

Gertrude had pulled up next to the counter. “She watches it while she cooks? No wonder her stuff tastes like swill.”

“Renie’s a fairly good cook,” Judith declared, “as long as she sticks to basics.”

Gertrude grunted. “Like bread and water?”

Judith decided to take a shortcut and microwave the beans along with her mother’s portion of the chicken and spaghetti. Still preoccupied with Ruby’s apparent defection, she wasn’t in the mood to listen to Gertrude’s harangues.

“Just put it in my lap,” the old lady said when the meal came out of the microwave. “I can see myself out. It stopped raining, by the way.”

“It did?” Judith said in surprise, realizing that her mother’s baggy cardigan wasn’t wet. “When did that happen?”

“When your ornery cat wanted to be let out a few minutes ago,” Gertrude replied, releasing the wheelchair’s brake. “He wanted to find his own dinner. I hope he doesn’t want to eat crow tonight. See you in the funny papers.” She zipped down the hall and out of the house.

“Ahhh,” Joe uttered in relief, and sat down. “The rain may’ve stopped, but I would never call your mother a ray of sunshine.”

“It’s her defense mechanism against the world because my father died so young,” Judith explained for the umpteenth time, putting the rest of the beans on the stove. She paused to check the oven to see if the chicken dish was heated all the way through. “Mother’s always had a sharp tongue and been opinionated, but when my dad was still alive, she was much more cheerful. After that—”

Judith was interrupted by the ringing of the phone. “Maybe that’s Ruby,” she said, snatching up the receiver. “Hello?”

“Dooley here,” Tyler said in a conspiratorial voice. “At four-fourteen this afternoon, Ruby Tooms left your house and got into a dark-colored sedan that turned toward the Avenue after leaving the cul-de-sac. She was carrying two items—probably her purse and some sort of luggage. I would’ve called sooner, but I had to find my sister’s hamster before we ate dinner. One of my brother’s hamsters
was
dinner a few years ago.”

“Excellent job on your part,” Judith said. “The surveillance, I mean. Did you recognize the car’s make?”

“Not really,” he said with regret. “It was a fairly new-model midsize sedan. If I had to guess, I’d figure it was some kind of Japanese make. I tried to see the license plate through the telescope, but the angle was wrong and it’d just started to rain.”

“Could you tell if Ruby seemed reluctant to get in the car?”

“No,” Tyler replied. “She hurried down the steps and across the walk. One other thing—I decided to do some homework, but kept my eye on your place. At five-forty, I saw a really flashy sports car pull up and a man got out. I
think
it was silver. Anyway, he went inside. I didn’t see him come out, so I figured he was a friend or a guest. But when I looked a few minutes later, the car was gone. I
think,
” he continued, “it was a Maserati custom job. I checked images on the computer. That was as close as I could come. But you must know this guy, right?”

“Hold on,” Judith said, turning to Joe, who had dished up their dinner and started eating. “Did some guy in a sports car stop here shortly before I got home?”

Joe frowned. “Not that I know of. I was up in the family quarters.”

“Do you know if the front door was locked?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t check. Maybe Ruby didn’t make sure it was locked when she left. Hey, you’re the one who doesn’t always lock up during the day because too many guests forget their keys.”

“Right,” Judith agreed under her breath before speaking again to Tyler. “We don’t know who the sports car guy is. It could’ve been somebody checking out the B&B for a potential guest. It happens.”

“Then it wouldn’t be a mystery,” Tyler said, sounding disappointed.

“As a matter of fact,” Judith countered, recalling the sleek sports car in the racetrack parking lot, “it might be part of the mystery.”

“Wow!” Tyler exclaimed. “How cool is that? What do you mean?”

“I don’t know yet. Just keep looking. I mean, when it’s not dark.”

“Got it. Maybe I can still get my homework finished and play Trivia with some of my sibs. Or cousins. Or—”

“Yes, a lot of Dooleys to sort through,” Judith said. “Thanks again. You’ve been really helpful.”

“So,” Joe said as Judith finally sat down, “you’ve got another junior spy from the Dooley brood?”

“Tyler,” she replied after chewing some chicken. After a bite of pasta, she related his sightings and the possibility that the second visitor just might have been in the sports car she’d seen at the track.

“That’s a stretch,” Joe declared, finishing his meal at the same time Judith concluded her recapitulation. “This is Heraldsgate Hill, twenty-first-century edition. Those fancy cars are all over the hill. When was the last time anybody came in unannounced to check out the B&B?”

Judith glared at her husband. “A week ago Friday. A couple from California stopped in to see if this would be a suitable situation for the husband’s parents, who’re coming this way after New Year’s. I had to show them around while you were taking a nap. Meanwhile, my appetizers got scorched in the oven.”

“Oh. Right. Hey—I was tired. I’d just finished a twenty-four-hour surveillance job.”

“Of a strip club. No wonder you were worn out.”

“A job’s a job. Besides, those neon lights hurt my eyes.”

Hearing noises in the hallway, Judith stifled a rebuttal. Apparently some of the guests were off on their evening rounds of pleasure.

“It’s almost seven,” she said, gazing at the schoolhouse clock. “I wish I’d never taken the afternoon off. I didn’t learn much of anything. I just missed Lee Watkins and I forgot to ask Duke Swisher about Jorge Gonzales, the trainer Renie literally ran into, but he went into the restroom. If I’d stayed home, I might have some idea of where Ruby is.”

“Has it occurred to you that she might have gone out to dinner with somebody she knows?” Joe asked, putting his plate in the dishwasher. “Not every person Ruby runs into is a murder suspect.”

“And taken her luggage so she could change clothes en route?”

“You women do some odd things with your wardrobes.”

“Not
that
odd.” Having lost her appetite, Judith pushed her plate aside. “I’m going to see Arlene and Carl. Maybe they know something we don’t. They might’ve heard about the hit-and-run accident victim’s condition. The couple from Chicago won’t get here for another hour.”

Joe shrugged. “Fine. I’m going to watch some mindless TV as soon as the guests get finished in the living room. Meanwhile, I’ll clear up the dinner stuff.”

Judith kissed his cheek. “You’re wonderful. Really.”

His green eyes twinkled. “I’m getting soft with age. I know I can’t change you. And except for the occasional killer trying to do you in, I don’t want to. I never quite believed it when you swore you were going to retire from sleuthing. As a hobby, it beats knitting me hideous sweaters or making jewelry out of corn kernels like your aunt Ellen in Nebraska.”

“Corn’s very big there,” Judith said, touching his cheek. “You watch some of their football games. Maybe there’s one on now.”

“Take off so I can watch. I missed most of today’s college games.”

Judith started for the back door. “
I
know when
I’m
not wanted. But I love you anyway.”

“You’d better,” Joe said, before resuming his kitchen duties.

Although the rain had stopped, the wind had come up. Judith looked skyward, surprised to see a few stars and at least three airplanes circling to land out at the airport. Maybe her Chicago guests were on one of them. She skirted the hedge to reach the Rankerses’ front door.

“Judith!” Arlene cried. “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you in . . . hours!”

“Running errands.”
Fool’s errands,
she thought to herself as she stepped inside and decided not to bother Arlene with an account of her fruitless trip to the Thurlow District. “I was wondering if you’ve heard anything about Bernard—or Brick—Frosch’s condition.”

“Not a word,” Arlene replied. “Come sit in the living room. Carl’s downstairs watching some football game. I don’t know why he bothers. They all look the same to me. Pass, run, tackle, fall down, get injured and carried off the field. It’s just like watching our kids when they used to play outside—except for the helmets. We should’ve thought of giving them some. Do sit—but not on Tulip.”

“Oh!” Judith had been keeping her eye on Arlene as they entered the living room and hadn’t noticed the black-and-white Boston terrier on the sofa. She moved a few feet to avoid the snoozing pooch.

Arlene sat down on the other part of the sectional. “The only thing I can tell you about Bernard Frosch is what Cathy found out today when she went to the house as the rental agent.”

Judith was puzzled. “I didn’t know Cathy handled that house. Joe’s never mentioned it.”

Arlene looked askance. “Did I say
she
represented Herself’s property? I did not. But Cathy is an agent for rentals as well as being a Realtor. You know that.”

“Uh . . . yes, of course.” It occurred to Judith that Arlene’s subterfuge was almost as disingenuous as her own. “What did Cathy find out?”

“That Herb was at home today, lounging around in his underwear and a very loud plaid bathrobe.” Arlene winced. “Of course Cathy couldn’t let on that she knew anything about their current situation. Lainie was there doing her nails, so Cathy asked if she was Mrs. Frosch. Lainie said she wasn’t. A daughter, perhaps? Lainie just shook her head and went on filing her nails. Antisocial, really. Cathy asked if Mrs. Frosch was home. Mr. Frosch looked quite glum before saying she’d died. Then he belched. Disgusting. That was when Cathy noticed the beer cans by his chair. ‘Was it sudden?’ my daughter inquired. It was six a.m., Herb said. That struck Cathy as sudden, though of course she knew it already. But she offered condolences. Herb thanked her. Lainie kept on filing her nails.”

Arlene had paused for breath. Perhaps, Judith thought, that was why Tulip suddenly woke up and jumped off the sofa. The dog thought his mistress had passed out.

“Did Cathy ask if there was going to be a funeral?” Judith inquired.

“Yes, but they had no plans,” Arlene replied. “That’s when Lainie finally spoke up, saying how could they even think about a funeral when Brick—that is, Bernie or Bernard or whatever he’s called—was barely out of danger from joining his old lady.
Her
words, not mine—or Cathy’s.”

“Then he’s improving?”

Arlene shrugged. “I suppose so. He’s at least better than dead.”

“Did they say anything else you don’t know?”

Arlene caught the gibe in Judith’s tone. “Judith! I told you
I
didn’t know anything—it all came from Cathy! Shame on you!”

“I couldn’t help it. You call
me
a sleuth, but you’re no slouch.”

“Oh, it’s just being neighborly,” Arlene said with a wave of her hand. “Besides, with Carl being the block-watch captain, we have to know what’s going on around here. I’m thinking about having everybody’s mail delivered here first. Just in case, you know, there’s a bomb in it or something.”

“About now, that’s not the worst idea I’ve heard lately,” Judith murmured as Tulip sniffed her shoes. “I do have another question to ask. Did you see Ruby leave late this afternoon?”

Arlene looked stunned. “Ruby left? What do you mean? And how did I miss it? Where did she go?”

“That’s the problem. I’ve no idea. I wasn’t home and Joe was taking a nap. She wrote a note saying she’d gone on an errand and would be back soon. That was three hours ago. Tyler Dooley saw her leave with her suitcase. I checked the spare bedroom and it was cleared out.”

“Tyler is your new junior spy? How sweet!”

Judith nodded. “He’s very good, just like the other Dooley kids. Not long after Ruby went off, he saw an exotic sports car pull up. A man came into the B&B and left a few minutes later. Joe and I have no idea who he was or what he wanted.”

“Oh!” Arlene put a hand to her cheek. “Carl did see that car. He remarked on it, saying it was a Mazzerooni or something like that. He was going to ask Joe about it, but he took a nap instead.”

“Too bad Joe and Carl take naps at the same time,” Judith said. “Maybe we should get them to alternate. Did Carl see the driver?”

“He didn’t because it was raining and he’d just let Tulip out for a moment. He did notice that the car had California plates.”

Judith grimaced. “I don’t suppose he could see the number.”

“I didn’t ask,” Arlene said, looking chagrined. “Shall I do that now?”

“Well . . . I hate to have you bother him when he’s watching football.”

“It’s no bother,” Arlene said, getting up and leaving the room with Tulip trotting along after her.

Judith could hear only snatches of the exchange from the hallway on the other side of the living room. When Arlene returned, she was frowning. “At first, Carl said it was twenty-one-ten. That didn’t make sense, but then I realized he thought I meant the score of the game. Maybe he’s going deaf. He often doesn’t hear what I say. The plate didn’t have numbers as far as he could tell—just some letters. Being a man, he doesn’t recall what they were. A vanity plate, I suppose. People who drive those Mazzeroonis are probably vain and stuck-up.”