SCREWED DOWN MURDER (Mrs. Fix It Mysteries Book 2) Read online

  “I’m not the star quarterback anymore, Kate. And I don’t miss that. I’m a grown man who knows what he likes. I knew what I liked then. You were so different from the crowd I ran with. Bookish, and you didn’t seem to care what other people thought. I was intrigued by that.”

  She wasn’t sure how she felt about this revelation. That wasn’t how she saw herself. “I was awkward. Maybe a little high maintenance.”

  “If you were high maintenance then, you have no idea the meaning of that word. The girls I dated other than you made me wear certain clothes. I had to look a certain way for them to be seen with them. You didn’t care.”

  He really did have a different view of her than she had of herself. “The point is, I’m not that girl anymore.”

  “I wouldn’t want you to be. I’m not that boy anymore.”

  He was closer to that boy than she was to that girl. “You haven’t lost any of your swagger.”

  He puffed out his chest. “I’m still confident.”

  “Yes, sometimes too much.”

  He laughed. “I’m not obnoxious, am I?”

  She laughed also. She enjoyed his company. “No. Annoying sometimes.”

  “Only because you won’t give in to my charms,” he said. His eyes went dark. “I would take good care of you, Kate.”

  “I’m not sure I need taking care of.”

  “Sure you do. A little bit. Everyone does.”

  “Even you?”

  “Especially me, but that’s only one place.”

  She didn’t utter the words, but she knew what place he needed to be taken care of. He’d had a voracious sexual appetite in high school. And he always found places that they wouldn’t be disturbed. She sighed. Those were heady times. He’d brought out a woman in her that she hadn’t known she could be. Her confidence had soared during their relationship.

  Not so much after he left. As much as that was a long time ago, it still hurt some part of her.

  “Yes, I remember.”

  Scott chuckled as the waitress brought their food. She shouldn’t like him this much. She was having thoughts that a married woman shouldn’t have. Having lived day to day for so long, she was thinking of what the future could hold. That was dangerous.

  This man was dangerous. What would her boys think?

  Did they miss having a male role model in their lives? Maybe that wasn’t necessary anymore. They were nineteen now. They were finding their own way in life.

  Even if it was without a father.

  “Where did you go?” Scott asked.

  She frowned. “Just thinking about my boys.”

  “Young men now.”

  “I know. It all happens so fast. They’ll be out on their own before I know it.”

  He reached across the table then put his hand on hers. “All the more reason to look after your own happiness.”

  ***

  Scott walked Kate back to Bob’s Garage. He kissed her on the cheek then left her there. She paid Bob for the oil change then headed to Grayson’s Hardware Store for supplies. She could figure out what she needed for Jessica’s list of repairs then give her an estimate.

  She walked in to find Larry Stadt all by himself. That didn’t often happen in this store. She’d noticed that some of the regulars didn’t hang out there anymore since Larry’s father had been convicted of murder. The big box store was an hour’s drive away.

  If they wanted to, they could go there, but Kate had relied on Larry’s father for advice. She wasn’t sure Larry could give her any, but she’d stop and chat anyway. She always preferred patronizing local businesses, especially since she ran one.

  He’d been leaving her alone. Maybe he was just busy with the store, but she’d missed his friendship. They used to have lunch once a week and catch up. She knew his feelings for her, so the lunches were bittersweet. She didn’t want to encourage him, but in her mind he was safely ensconced in the friend zone.

  The store smelled like fertilizer today. Guess Larry was stocking it for the avid gardeners. Kate liked the idea of a garden, but not the execution. She worked with her hands all week. She would rather spend her free time relaxing with a book.

  If she wanted fresh vegetables, she could go to the local farm.

  Larry was behind the counter looking at paperwork. Hunched over the counter, he hadn’t heard her come in. She didn’t want to startle him, so she cleared her throat. Larry looked up.

  He was a tall, lanky man with brown hair and brown eyes. His eyes held you as if you were the only woman in the room. Others had said that about him, so Kate knew it wasn’t just her.

  He smiled at Kate. “Hello, there.”

  She smiled back. He was a good guy in a bad situation with his father. “Hi, Larry. Haven’t seen you around.”

  He glanced around the shop. “I have less free time since I’m running the hardware store. We’ll have to grab lunch someday soon.”

  “I guess it is more time-consuming than being the fire chief.”

  He put down the pencil in his hand, then leaned against the counter. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal sinewy muscles on his forearms. “Yes, it is. I miss the school visits, but other than that I’ve settled into this.”

  “Are you happy?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “I actually am. This is more of a challenge, and I was due to retire from the fire service two years ago. I didn’t because I didn’t know what I was going to do. This opportunity fell in my lap.”

  “The place looks good. I see you’ve rearranged.”

  “Yes, I’ve also stocked some items that Dad wasn’t willing to. He’d been doing this for several years, but you’d have thought he was doing it forever. He was stubborn.”

  “Nice to see some changes. You should give me a tour, so I know where things are.”

  “You are one of my best customers.”

  “I’ll be even better since I’m fixing a number of things at Jessica’s house.”

  “Sad about Dudley.”

  “Yes, it is. I don’t think the cops have any idea who did it. Would be nice to have closure about it,” Kate said.

  “You found him?”

  “Seems to be my lot in life lately.”

  He gave her a sardonic smile. “I walked past his office not long before the power went out.”

  “Oh?”

  Did he know something? She stepped closer to him, eager to hear what he had to say. “Did you hear anything?”

  “I heard arguing. He had a woman in his office. I didn’t think much of it until he turned up dead.”

  “A woman?”

  “Yes, but I didn’t stop to listen. I thought it odd that he was there so late.”

  “What were you doing there so late?”

  “I was cleaning out my locker at the fire house. I didn’t want to see anyone and knew they’d be asleep, so I could do it without talking to anyone. I’ve already given my key back, so I don’t have a way in the front door. I had to go through the police department on my second trip out. That’s why I went past Dudley’s office.”

  “So you heard a female. Were they arguing?”

  “I sounded contentious, yes, but I didn’t see any reason to stop or look in. I was minding my own business.”

  “Right. I understand. Did you talk to the cops?”

  “Yes and that’s why they thought it was Jessica.”

  “Did you see any strange cars around?”

  Jessica’s car was a bright, red Mercedes with a vanity plate. Hard to miss. Dean didn’t have the same kind of money that Dudley had. Would Jessica be able to keep her car?

  “I wasn’t paying attention. I’m not a car person, so I wouldn’t have noticed,” Larry said.

  He frowned, clearly having wanted to do more. Kate patted his hand. “Not your fault. Not your problem either.”

  “Shouldn’t be yours.”

  “I know, but Jessica wanted me to snoop. Since the police were so quick to arrest her, she thinks that they won’t do a good jo
b. You know how people are in a small town. We are judged on what we did in the past, not who we actually are.”

  “That’s true. And sometimes we’re judged on who we’re related to.”

  Kate saw the pain in his eyes. “Has business gone down since you’re father left?”

  “At first it did, but I still had my core. The ones who didn’t want to drive to the big box store,” Larry said.

  “I’m so sorry. What your father did is not your fault.”

  He looked up at her with widened eyes. “You aren’t mad at me?”

  “You had no control over your father’s behavior. You were just as surprised as the rest of us when he confessed. You can’t be held responsible for what he did.”

  “You don’t think I could be a murderer?”

  “No, Larry, never.”

  Then again, she’d never have thought his father could be one.

  “Good. I’m glad. It would be too much to bear if you thought badly of me, Kate. Now what can I get you?”

  “I don’t have an actual purchase today. I have to create an estimate for Jessica first, so I need to know the cost of materials. You’ll benefit from this, I promise.”

  “Eventually. That’s good enough, Kate. I’m just happy that you don’t hold a grudge.”

  He was a sweet man, one that any woman would be lucky to have. “I couldn’t think that way of you, Larry. You’ve been a good friend.”

  He grimaced. “A friend. I had hoped for more, but I see with Scott back in town I don’t have a chance.”

  What could she say to him? She wasn’t one to kick a man when he was down, but in reality, Larry never had a chance.

  “I’m sorry, Larry. You would treat me like a queen, I know, but I’m not sure I want to be treated like a queen.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I don’t see myself that way. I’m just Kate. I don’t dress like a queen.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with how you dress, Kate.”

  She sighed. He didn’t get it. “That’s not the point. You have to love someone the way they want to be loved. And I don’t want to be a queen.”

  “Oh, I think I understand. I’m sorry, too, Kate.”

  “There’s someone out there for you. You need to forget about me and look for someone who will appreciate you.”

  Carly came to mind. She’d love to be treated like a queen, but Kate didn’t think that Larry was ready for that suggestion.

  Chapter Eight

  Kate’s next stop was the accountant for the trucking company. With the late lunch, she didn’t need dinner for a while, so she had time. It wasn’t five yet. She figured she had at least a half an hour before the guy would want to go home.

  His office was in the only office complex in Rock Ridge. Three buildings made up the sides of a triangle. In the middle of them was a courtyard with plants and benches. Parking was behind one of the buildings. On a snowy day, some of the employees would have a long walk.

  Kate appreciated that today was a good day to have that walk. The buildings were made out of stone and had been built a decade ago. Someone was keeping them up because they didn’t look that old.

  She looked at the directory in Building A and found Eric Swan’s office number. His office occupied a little spot on the third floor, just outside the elevator. She strode through the door with his name on it only to find an empty office.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello.”

  A round man with jet black hair and bushy eyebrows looked out the door to an inner office at her.

  “I’m looking for Mr. Swan.”

  “You’ve found him.”

  He smiled then held out a beefy hand to her. He reminded her of a gummy bear.

  “I’m Kate Flaherty. Jessica Stuart might have mentioned I would come by.”

  “She did. Come in.”

  He waddled back behind his desk as she sat on a butter leather chair she never would have expected to find in this office. Guess he spent his money on certain things and not others. Right in the middle of his desk was a jar of gummy bears.

  He must have seen her eyeing it. “You want some?”

  “No, thanks. I’m still full from lunch.”

  He folded his hands on his desk. “What can I do for you?”

  “Did Jessica tell you what I wanted?”

  “All she said was to give you what you asked for.”

  “I just wanted to see the audit you did of Stuart Trucking Company.”

  “I’m not done yet, but from my preliminary perusal, nothing is wrong. Nothing is out of place.”

  “Do you do these types of audits often?”

  “Yes. I am a forensic accountant. I’m trained to look at books to see if there are any problems. Nothing jumped out at me my first time through. No one is that good at hiding wrongdoing, trust me. I don’t expect to find anything out of order.”

  Kate frowned. Guess that was not where Dudley’s murderer came from. Would Jessica let her look at their personal finances? Did Dudley have separate accounts? He didn’t have a lot of power as mayor, so she doubted that he could have made enemies that way.

  Unless the rumor of him playing favorites was true.

  “Well, thank you for your time,” Kate said.

  “No other questions?”

  “Not unless you can shed any light on who might have wanted him dead.”

  “No, sorry. I just work with numbers,” he said. “I didn’t get involved in what Dudley did day to day.”

  She received a call as she arrived at her truck. Celia?

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, Kate. Just wanted to let you know that you can fix those shelves in the mayor’s office. It has been cleared,” Celia said.

  “Oh, thanks. Who do I bill?”

  “Jessica said she’d pick up the tab. Guess she has money to throw around.”

  “Can I come over now?”

  “Yes, but I’ll be leaving for the day. I think there will be someone here.”

  She still had the supplies to fix it in her truck, so she could get this job done then call it a day. A long day, but a day.

  Celia wasn’t there when Kate arrived, but Joe Swenson was. He was the head of the town’s financial department.

  “Hi, Kate. Let me move to Celia’s desk then you can fix these shelves. You going to the viewing tonight?”

  “I’m going to try. If not, I’ll get there tomorrow while I’m out and about,” Kate said.

  He left her alone to fix the shelves. He had books in his hands and a laptop. The computer from Dudley’s desk had already been removed. Not that Kate planned to snoop, but she might have.

  She didn’t know what to look for anyway. She fixed the shelves and was about to leave when she heard Eric on the phone.

  “I have bad news. I’ve only pulled the last three contracts awarded and their bids.”

  Silence.

  “Yes, Dudley kept it all. Doesn’t seem smart in light of what he did.”

  Kate eased closer.

  “No, he didn’t award the contract to the lowest bidder. I can’t tell why he awarded the contract to whom he did. Maybe we need to look into who financed his mayoral campaign.”

  Campaign? He ran unopposed. Kate didn’t think that was the avenue to follow. Could they subpoena his personal financial records? Kate would love to get a look at them before the cops did.

  She also wished she could see who didn’t get the last contracts. Dudley’s murderer might be among those people.

  “I don’t know if we can get a warrant or not,” Eric said. “Still, I’m going to turn these over to the cops. They need to know he was doing this.”

  Eric was thinking the way she was. Maybe Scott would take care of it. Maybe Dudley’s killer would be exposed without her intervening.

  If there are irregularities in what the mayor did, what did that mean for the contracts awarded? What a mess the man had left.

  Kate cleared her throat then walked out of the mayor’s inner off
ice with her tools. “I’m done,” she said to Eric.

  On her way to her truck, Kate encountered Beth. The girl looked harried.

  “Hey.”

  Beth looked at her. “Hey.”

  “I might have a scoop for you.”

  “Yeah?”

  “There are rumors that the mayor didn’t award the last few contracts for the town to the lowest bidder. He may have played favorites.”

  Kate would have thought that Beth would brighten up, but she still looked glum.

  “It doesn’t matter now. He’s dead. He can’t fix it. He can’t change it and neither can the town council.”

  “Right, true, but it might lead to his murderer.”

  Still, the young woman had no reaction. “I don’t think I can pursue that. I have other assignments.”

  Other assignments? Wasn’t the death of the mayor a big story? Kate left Beth to her wallowing and loaded her tools back into her truck.

  She sent a text to Scott. Where are you?

  Miss me already?

  No, I wanted to talk to you about something.

  I’m getting ready to go to the viewing. You want to come with me?

  I need a half an hour or so to get ready.

  I’ll see you then, he texted.

  She had to hurry home then hurry through her shower. Scott was on her doorstep early, of course.

  “Did you eat?”

  “No, I’m still full from lunch.”

  “Then let’s catch a bite afterwards,” he said.

  “We’ll see.”

  She probably shouldn’t be going to the viewing with him, but she hated wakes and didn’t want to go alone.

  “At least it wasn’t a no.”

  ***

  The Rock Ridge Funeral Home was packed. Scott had to drop Kate off at the front door then find a spot to park. She waited for him in the entryway. He walked in and everyone turned to look at him. He had that type of presence. Not even noticing what had happened, he walked over to her, taking her elbow.

  “Shall we get in line?”

  “Sure.”

  Anyone who was anyone in Rock Ridge was in the funeral home right now. There were people Kate hadn’t seen in years.

  “Guess Dudley was well-liked,” Scott said.

  “He did run unopposed four times,” Kate said.