Миранда Джеймс - Digging Up The Dirt

“I don’t know,” Mrs. Turnipseed said. “I got things to do myself.” She fell silent for a moment. “Well, I reckon it won’t hurt to tell you this much. Let’s just say I might’ve had to go back to Ashton Hall to pick up something before I went to my sister’s, and I could have seen something one night. Something that certain parties didn’t know I saw.”

An’gel wished she was close enough to grab the woman and shake her hard. Had she really been a witness to what happened to Callie? There was only one way to get the whole story, she supposed. She took a deep breath before she responded.

“That sounds promising. What time should my sister and I call on you?”

“How about four o’clock?” Mrs. Turnipseed said. “And bring cash.” She ended the call.

An’gel set her cell phone on the bedside table and leaned back against the pillows. She wondered whether she should let Kanesha know about the phone call. If she did, Kanesha would probably tell her and Dickce not to go. She really wanted to talk to Mrs. Turnipseed, however, and they could always tell Kanesha afterward.

She hesitated when she thought about actually giving the former housekeeper money. The woman was obviously greedy. How much would she want? What if she demanded an exorbitant sum, say ten thousand dollars? Or twenty?

There was no way she and her sister were about to hand over that kind of a bribe. Perhaps they could get out of her what they needed to know without actually giving her much money. They could say they couldn’t raise that much cash with only a few hours’ notice. Instead they could offer her a thousand and promise to give her the rest in a few days’ time.

What are you thinking?

An’gel realized the situation could easily spin out of control. She also realized that Mrs. Turnipseed could be playing a dangerous game. What certain parties was she talking about?

If the woman planned to put the bite on the person responsible for putting Callie in the ground at Ashton Hall, that person might not take kindly to the attempt at bribery. Mrs. Turnipseed could be putting her own life at risk.

An’gel frowned. What was it that Mrs. Turnipseed had said? There’s others that are pretty interested in what I have to say, too .

That could mean Mrs. Turnipseed had called someone else before she called An’gel.

An’gel snatched up her phone and speed-dialed Kanesha’s cell. That other person could already be on the way to make sure Mrs. Turnipseed didn’t talk to anyone else—ever.

The call went immediately to voice mail. An’gel waited for the tone, her anxiety growing. “This is An’gel Ducote. Mrs. Turnipseed just called me. She’s trying to get money out of me in exchange for information. I’m afraid she’s already talked to someone else. If she really knows anything, I think she’s in danger. Please send someone right away to check on her.” She ended the call.

Peanut stirred, no doubt alarmed by her tone. He crawled closer to her and laid his head on her leg. He whined, and she patted his head. “Nothing for you to worry about, handsome boy.”

An’gel dialed the sheriff’s office. She told the operator she had left a message for Kanesha and stressed the urgency of her call. She gave the gist of her message to Kanesha to the operator, and the operator promised that the deputy would be informed right away.

An’gel set her phone down on the bedside table. She stared down at the dog, still obviously uneasy because of her own agitation. She rubbed his head to calm him and at the same time to calm herself. She had done all she could for Mrs. Turnipseed.

No, I haven’t . She grabbed her phone again and looked at the list of calls. She found Mrs. Turnipseed’s number and called it back. She let the phone ring at least fifteen times, but there was no answer. Frustrated, she put the phone down again and went back to petting the dog, trying to keep her fears for Mrs. Turnipseed’s safety at bay. She could only pray that the sheriff’s department or the police department could get to the woman in time to prevent another death.

CHAPTER 22

As she continued to stroke Peanut’s head, An’gel debated whether to share her fears with Dickce. After a moment’s reflection she decided there was no need to wake her sister. Dickce would find out soon enough. One of them ought to have a few more restful moments while she could.

An’gel glanced at the clock. Nearly eleven thirty. Later than she expected. “I might as well get up and get dressed again,” she told Peanut. He seemed happy enough to remain on the bed while she changed clothes and went into the bathroom to brush her hair and check her makeup.

Peanut hopped off the bed when she opened the bedroom door and trotted across the hall to Dickce’s room. He whined and scratched at the door. Moments later the door opened, and Endora walked out. She rubbed her head against Peanut’s and meowed. An’gel watched them with a bemused smile. She had never seen a cat and a dog behave like best friends, but these two shared a strong bond.

“Did you get any rest, Sister?” Dickce asked as she stepped out of her room. “I had a good nap.”

“I did,” An’gel said, “until I was woken by a phone call.” She proceeded to tell Dickce about her conversation with Mrs. Turnipseed and her own calls to urge Kanesha to ensure the woman’s safety.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Dickce said as she and An’gel walked downstairs, preceded by their four-legged companions.

“I do, too,” An’gel said. “I hope that foolish, venal woman doesn’t come to any harm over this.” She stared down at the phone in her hand. “Surely Kanesha will call soon and let us know what’s going on.”

“She will,” Dickce said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m thirsty. Let’s go to the kitchen and get something to drink.”

An’gel agreed. Peanut and Endora had taken off for the kitchen the moment they reached the bottom of the stairs. The sisters found them getting treats from Clementine.

“You’re spoiling them rotten,” An’gel said.

Clementine laughed. She gave Peanut and Endora each another tidbit. An’gel thought it was boiled chicken.

“They’re still growing,” the housekeeper said. “They need to eat a little extra now and again.”

“As long as now and again isn’t three or four times a day,” An’gel said wryly. She accepted a glass of ice water from her sister and drank half of it. “That hit the spot.”

“What time you reckon y’all be wanting lunch?” Clementine rinsed her hands at the sink and dried them with a hand towel.

“How about one o’clock?” An’gel said.

Dickce nodded. “That sounds good. What are we having?”

“Salad, vegetable soup, and cornbread,” Clementine replied.

“That sounds perfect for a chilly day,” An’gel said. “We’ll have it in the parlor, I think.” She and Dickce refilled their glasses and left the kitchen. Peanut and Endora remained with Clementine, no doubt hopeful for more treats, An’gel thought.

In the parlor they sat at either end of the sofa. An’gel felt disinclined to talk at the moment. Her thoughts remained focused on Mrs. Turnipseed, and she wouldn’t rest easy until she heard from Kanesha. She prayed for the woman, that she would be found safe at home.

When her cell phone rang, An’gel almost dropped her glass. She set it down on the coffee table and pulled out her phone. After a glance at the screen she looked at Dickce and said, “Hadley’s calling.”

Dickce moved closer on the sofa as An’gel answered the call. She set it on speaker so her sister could hear. After an exchange of greetings, An’gel said, “How are you? Have you had any news from the hospital?”