Denise Swanson - Murder of a Small-Town Honey

"Dad's decided we'd better go on in without Vince," May said. "You call Abby's when we get inside." May joined Jed on the pavement.

Skye struggled out of the backseat. The velour gripping her dress made a graceful exit impossible. "Why do I have to be the one to call?"

"Because if I called, it would embarrass Abby." May gave Skye a withering look.

The three Denisons walked up to the frosted-glass doors. Reid's Funeral Home had been in business since the nine-teen-thirties. It was a large one-story building with a red­brick exterior, white pillars, and a circular drive. One almost expected the governor to reside there.

Inside, a blast of cold air carried an overwhelmingly flo­ral odor, yet held a hint of a less pleasant scent. Double doors opened to a small flight of carpeted stairs with a metal railing going up the center. One wall was completely mirrored, allowing mourners to arrange both their clothing and their expressions into appropriate lines.

After mounting the stairs, Skye and her parents parted. Jed and May went to the right, stopping to sign the guest book before making their way to the front, where Charlie stood facing the mourners, his back to Honey's closed cof­fin. Sprays of flowers, potted plants, and wreaths flanked the casket.

Skye turned to the left and walked along the narrow aisle formed by folding chairs set in rows that faced the front of the room. Tucked behind the seats was a short hall­way with rest rooms on one side and an office on the other.

The door to the office was open, and inside, Simon was talking to a small man in a shiny navy blue suit.

Simon motioned Skye in as soon as he saw her. "Skye, I'd like you to meet my assistant, Xavier Ryan. Xavier, this is Skye Denison."

Xavier dipped his head slightly. "Nice to meet you, Miss." His pale blue lashless eyes were magnified behind old-fashioned horn-rimmed glasses, making them seem reptilian.

Although the last thing she wanted to do was touch this man, Skye pasted a smile on her face and held out her hand. "How do you do?"

His grip was surprisingly warm and gentle. After a brief squeeze, he turned to Simon. "I'll go see if we need more chairs, Mr. Reid."

Xavier left, and Simon moved closer to Skye. Taking her chin in his hand, he looked into her eyes. "I had a really good time yesterday. I'd like to see you again, soon. Are you free Wednesday night?"

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.