Casey Mayes - A Killer Column

THE DOORBELL RANG, AND JENNY LEFT ME TO GET IT. A troubled look crossed her face for just an instant, and it was gone so quickly I wasn’t even sure I’d really seen it. “I hope that’s our pizza.”

“I can’t wait. I’m starving,” I said.

She came back a minute later, but there was no box in her hands.

“Where’s the food?”

“I’ve got something better,” she said with a smile, and Zach suddenly appeared. Without a word between us, we rushed together, and he wrapped me up in his arms. I held onto him a great deal longer than I usually did. It was as if I were pulling strength from him for my soul. I couldn’t explain it if I had to, but I could swear his energy transferred to me, and I felt myself growing stronger, calmer, and more able to deal with what I was going to have to face.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” I said softly.

“There’s no other place I’d want to be,” he answered. The doorbell rang again, but I barely noticed as Jenny left the room.

“I’m sorry I’ve gotten myself into this jam,” I said.

“Don’t worry,” Zach replied as he brushed a little lock of hair from my face. “We’ll fix it.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“You’ve got me on your side, and having Jenny in your corner will help, too. It’s going to be all right.”

“I hope that’s true, but forgive me if I don’t fully believe it just quite yet.”

He laughed. “Don’t worry about it. Leave the faith part up to me.”

Jenny came back into the room and said, “I hate to interrupt, but the pizza’s here.”

“Never apologize for feeding me,” Zach said. He spied the large size of the box, and then asked, “There is enough to share, isn’t there?”

“We were hoping you’d make it in time to eat,” I said.

“Excellent. I’m so hungry I could eat the box.”

“Then if you’re good, we’ll let you,” Jenny said.

As we sat down at the table and got started, Zach asked Jenny, “Do you mind a little shoptalk while we eat?”

“I don’t, if Savannah doesn’t,” she said.

“I can hardly complain since you two are trying to keep me out of jail, now can I?”

Zach nodded. “Tell me everything then, and try not to leave anything out, no matter how mundane it might seem.”

I took a bite of pizza, added a sip of Coke, and then began to relay everything that had happened that day. The pizza was soon forgotten as my husband and my old college roommate started listening, and soon began taking notes. Neither asked me any questions as I went, allowing me to focus on the narrative, though I knew I’d be peppered with queries as soon as I finished. I recounted my conversation with word scramble creator Brady Sims, the reaction that bridge columnist Sylvia Peters had when she’d stormed out of her meeting, and the way Kelsey Hatcher had discovered me leaning over Derrick’s body. Once I was through, Zach looked through his notes and began asking questions. I did my best to answer, but mostly I didn’t know.

“Who else haven’t we discussed yet would want to see him dead?” he asked at one point.

“I have no idea,” I replied.

“Savannah, I’ve heard you complain about the man enough in the past to know that’s not true. There was a business partner of his at one time, wasn’t there?”

I nodded. “Yes. It was Frank Lassiter. Evidently Derrick drove him out of their land development partnership just before the company struck it big. The only way I knew about it was Derrick’s bragging. Could he have had something to do with it? He lives in Richmond, as far as I know.”

“Richmond is just a few hours away,” Jenny said. “It would be easy enough for him to drive here, murder Derrick, and then get back across state lines before anyone even realized that he was gone.”

“How about the women in his life?” Zach asked.

“Derrick has a wife, but that’s about all I know about her. I think her name is Terry, or Cary, or something like that.”

“Do you think he fooled around on her?” Jenny asked.

I looked at her and shook my head. “What makes you ask that?”

“Hey, I’ve been an attorney long enough to realize that most men are dogs at one time or another in their lives.”

“Not Zach,” I said.

When he didn’t answer, I looked at him and asked, “Right?”

“What? Oh, right. No, I’m not a dog. But that doesn’t mean Derrick wasn’t. It’s an angle worth pursuing.”

“When did you get so cynical?” I asked Jenny.

“I’m not sure if it’s that, or if I’m just being realistic. I’ve seen some pretty dark things over the years, especially lately.”

“I hope it’s not spoiling you for a chance at finding love.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not there yet.” She looked over at Zach, and then added, “I’ve got to say, you’re not bad at interviewing people.”

He smiled at her. “Thanks. It’s not my first time.”

“I know it’s not, but that still doesn’t mean it’s not impressive. I picked up a few things myself.”

“Glad I could help. I don’t envy the detective working this case. There appears to be a lot of angles to follow up on.”

“Are you going to offer the police here your help?” I asked.

“Not directly, not with my ties to the case. But I am going to ask some questions, and maybe see if I can point them in some other directions. I called the station on the way over here, but the lead detective was out, and they aren’t expecting him back until morning.” Zach looked at Jenny. “Do you know anything about this Murphy fellow?”

Jenny and I exchanged glances and then she recounted much the same story about the detective to Zach that she had told me.

He shook his head. “That might make things a little stickier, but we’ll work something out.”

My husband stifled a yawn, and then said to me, “We’d better find a hotel room before I fall asleep at the table.”

“We’re staying here,” I told him.

“We don’t want to put you out,” Zach told Jenny.

“Nonsense. I’ve already settled this with Savannah. Don’t make me start with you.”

He held up his hands. “Then I give in. Just point me in the right direction.” Zach turned to me. “Are you coming, Savannah?”

“No, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll stay up a little while longer and catch up with Jenny.”

“Suits me just fine,” he said as he gave me a quick kiss and then disappeared into the guest room.

After he was gone, Jenny said, “Maybe you’re right after all.”

“Of course I am,” I answered. “About what?”

She laughed. “Perhaps I’m letting the people I deal with on a daily basis cloud my perception about the world around me.”

“I said that?”

She nodded. “You did.”

“Wow, I sound really smart when you say it.”

Jenny grinned. “Come on. We both know you have to be sharp to create those puzzles of yours. I have a tough time finishing them most days.”

“You do my puzzles?”

“Absolutely,” she answered. “They’re a nice way to unwind at the end of the day.”

“I’m honored,” I said, “But don’t give me too much credit. Sometimes I think they’re easier to make than they are to solve.”

“I suppose that makes sense. After all, you’ve got all of the answers, don’t you?”

“If only life were like that.”

She patted my arm. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out.”

“I hope so.” I stifled a yawn. “In the meantime, I think I’d better join my husband.”

“That’s not a bad idea. We have a big day tomorrow.”