Murder of a Small-Town Honey

She was pleased. Gee, a second date. Even after I forced him into a life of crime. He must really be interested.

Aloud she said, 'Yes. I'm usually home from school by five. Is six okay for you?'

Simon carried her hand to his lips and lightly kissed her fingertips. 'How about five-thirty?'

Although she was having that breathing problem again, she managed to nod.

'I'd better go and check on Charlie. It's about time to start.'

'Could you hold off beginning for a few minutes? I need to try and call Vince. He was supposed to have met us here at eight-thirty.'

'Sure. Use the phone on the desk. Let me tell Charlie what's happening.' Simon looked over his shoulder as he left the room.

Knowing how few rings her mother allowed before

hanging up, Skye tried Vince's number first. His answering machine picked up after four rings. Next, she tried the shop, and got the same results.

Reluctantly, she dialed Abby's number, having first looked it up in the book conveniently located beneath the telephone. Abby answered immediately, as if she were waiting by the phone.

'Abby, this is Skye Denison. Is Vince there?' Skye sat in the upholstered chair behind the desk.

'No. He was supposed to call me this morning before he left for the funeral, but he never did.' The worry in Abby's voice was clearly audible.

'He hasn't showed up at Reid's, either. No one answers at his house or at the shop.'

'This isn't like him.'

Skye started to doodle on a pink message pad. 'Do you have any idea how to locate him? My parents will go ballis­tic if I tell them I can't find him.'

'He's not at the gym, and I can't think of anywhere else he could be.'

She added a star to her drawing. 'I hate to impose, but could you drive by his apartment and see if his car is there?'

'I'd be glad to. Where can I reach you?'

'Where I'm going to end up as a paying guest, if this whole thing doesn't get settled soon: Reid's Funeral Home.'

The service was brief. Simon looked handsome and dig­nified in a black double-breasted suit. Skye admired his tie, with its hexagonal design of black and gold. He talked about mercy and forgiveness, and ended his remarks with the announcement that a luncheon was being served at Charlie's cabin after the interment at the cemetery. All in attendance were invited.

Xavier tapped Skye on the shoulder as she was waiting

with her parents to file by the casket. 'You have a tele­phone call, Miss.'

She turned to her mother. 'It must be Abby.'

May and Jed looked at her pleadingly. Neither had taken the news of Vince's disappearance well.

Skye walked back to Simon's office to take the call.

Loretta Steiner's voice boomed from the handset. 'God, you're hard to track down.'

'What's wrong? How did you find me?' Skye's stomach was doing flip-flops.

'After trying your house and your parents', I called Abby. Doesn't anyone in your family believe in answering machines?'

'I'm planning to get one the next time I get to Kankakee or Joliet.' Her answer was mechanical. 'Why were you so intent on reaching me?'

'Vince is in jail. They arrested him this morning about seven-thirty. He called me as soon as they let him make a phone call. I just got to the station.' Loretta's tone was im­patient. 'What is it with these cops? The chief's not here, and the guy on duty refused to believe I was Vince's attor­ney. I know you said they'd never had a black woman lawyer in Stumble Waters, but, hell, you guys do get cable, don't you?'

'I'll be right down.'

'No, I convinced him. As soon as I mentioned a civil rights lawsuit he seemed to catch my drift.' Loretta sighed. 'You might want to make watching Law and Order a mandatory course in your high school, though.'

'Sorry. Why do you think I was so anxious to get out of this town?' Skye felt her face flush with embarrassment. 'But what about Vince? Can you spring him?'

'No, not right away.'

Standing up from the chair she had sunk into at the news of Vince's arrest, Skye stretched the phone cord to its limit. 'I'll get my parents and be there in a few minutes.'

'Don't. They're serious this time. They won't let you or your parents see him. They've found new evidence, and they're turning him over to the county for processing. I'll follow him over to the county seat.'

'We can drive to Laurel.'

'No. I'll be meeting with the county's prosecutor to find out what evidence they have. You sit tight and I'll be in touch,' Loretta cautioned.

Skye gave Loretta Charlie's number and told her to call there if no one answered at her house or her parents'. She then went to tell her parents the bad news.

Jed and May were standing outside. The hearse had al­ready left for the cemetery, followed by Charlie in the fu­neral home's limousine. Other cars were falling into line as Skye approached her parents.

'Let's walk to the car.' Skye guided her parents to their Olds.

'Was that Abby? Did she find Vince?' May anxiously seized Skye's hand.

'Why don't we get in so we can talk in private?' Skye opened her mother's door.

After they were all seated, Skye leaned her arms across the back of the front seat. 'That was Loretta Steiner. Vince has been arrested.'

Gasping, May clutched her chest. Jed sat staring out the windshield, the only evidence of his emotions the white of his knuckles where he was clenching the steering wheel.

May grabbed Jed's arm. 'Hurry. We've got to get to the station.'

Before Jed could react, Skye put a hand on both their shoulders. 'Loretta said for us not to go there.'

'Why not?' May twitched her shoulder anxiously.

'She said they were taking him to Laurel and we wouldn't be allowed to see him there, either.'

'We have to be there for him. We can at least talk to Loretta.' May turned to Jed.

'I think we should go to the cemetery and then to the luncheon. There's nothing we can do for Vince right now, and Charlie hasn't got anyone else.' Skye also looked to her father.

Jed started the car and backed out, getting in line behind the last vehicle in the procession. 'Right now we can do something for Charlie. We can't for Vince,' Jed said in a case-closed tone.

May asked questions all the way to the cemetery, but be­cause she had no answers Skye concentrated on the scenery crawling past her window. She allowed her mind to wander, trying to block out her mother's voice.

As the column of cars turned left on Basin and headed south of town, Skye glanced at the orange and white exterior of the Strike and Spare Bowling Alley. Its blackened win­dows and peeling paint gave it a jack-o'-lantern appearance.

Skye sighed and closed her eyes. When she opened them, the car was inching past McDonald's plaza. People were walking out, carrying cups of coffee and brown paper sacks. Turning her head, she gazed at the cornfield on the other side. A billboard announced it was the future home of the newest Castleview housing development.

She watched the yellow-green stalks heavy with ripe ears of corn rustle in the breeze. Soon the farmers would be out on the combine harvesting them, but right now the blackbirds were enjoying a morning snack.

Brick and wrought-iron gates loomed on the east side of the road, spelling out the words 'Scumble River Ceme­tery.' Winding their way down the narrow dirt lane, the cars turned first right, then left, then left again before stop­ping within sight of a dark-green canvas awning.

The coffin and the flowers from the funeral home were set up in the front of the shelter. Charlie and Simon stood together. By the time the Denisons trudged up from the rear of the procession, the space under the tent was full. As they

stood to one side, Charlie motioned for them to come next tohim'

Before Simon started the interment ceremony, Charlie whispered into Skye's ear, 'What happened to you