A Composition in Murder (A Cherry Tucker Mystery Book 6) Read online

  Dangit. She had me there.

  “As founder, chief shareholder, and CEO, I can appoint the new head of Meemaw’s Tea, but I won’t until this business with Della’s murder has been solved. I want to put preventative measures in place before the arrest happens. To protect the company. With the changeover to Della and finding a new COO, the shareholders were anxious. Now the shareholders are panicking. If her death has to do with Meemaw’s, I need to keep this out of the media and resolve the issue quietly.”

  “What do you mean by ‘preventative measures?’”

  “If the perpetrator works for me, I’d pressure them to confess.” Belvia rapped her iPad cover. “A financial carrot or stick to get them to comply with the law. After all, you’ll know who did it, even if the police don’t have evidence to make the arrest. A confession would help the sheriff.”

  “Sounds like vigilante justice to me.”

  “I need to know for the sake of the new company president.” She bowed her head, rubbing her temples. Dropping her hand, she stared in my direction. “Yesterday, I named my replacement in the will and trust by making them majority shareholder. Not even my lawyer knows who it is. I’m not revealing my choice until the issue of Della’s death is resolved. But in case anything should happen to me, I wanted a safeguard. I’m old.”

  “You have that little faith in the sheriff’s department?”

  “If someone did kill Della to advance their own agenda, it puts me in danger too.”

  I hadn’t thought about that. Mainly because the whole idea sounded far-fetched and crazier than a peach-orchard pig. But if Della had been murdered, I couldn’t allow an elderly blind woman to go unprotected. One who was asking for my help.

  “I don’t know if I could match wits with a diabolical businessman.”

  “Never doubt yourself, Cherry. As a woman, plenty doubted I could create a company like Meemaw’s Tea. We brew 300,000 gallons of tea a day and ship the jugs to every state as well as internationally. It’s my legacy we’re talking about. I wanted to hand it over to Della and now she’s perished. Possibly due to some snake in the grass.”

  “I hate snakes,” I muttered, thinking of the proverbial snakebites I’d suffered.

  She smiled in victory. I’d forgotten her sharp hearing. Belvia Brakeman hid her age and disability through the strength of her charisma, once again reminding me of the Wizard. But I wasn’t as easily duped as Dorothy.

  “I don’t think I’m qualified.” I rose from my chair. “You should leave this to the sheriff’s department. They’ll give you fair warning before making an arrest.”

  “You have a brother in jail, don’t you? Cody Tucker. Charged with a forced abduction of a Shawna Branson? She wasn’t hurt and there’s no evidence he had a weapon. She made the emergency call from her phone while sitting in the front seat of his car. When the police made the arrest, he didn’t resist. She hadn’t been restrained in any way. Why was his bail set so high with such flimsy evidence and when your family is closely associated with the sheriff?”

  Belvia knew about my personal Wicked Witch. I sank back into the chair. The Wizardess wanted me to get the damn broom.

  Six

  Belvia Brakeman wasn’t just the Wizard. She was also the Godfather. Her high-handedness rankled me, using my brother to lure me into striding the gray line between truth and obstruction.

  But it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.

  Her proposal was connected to county politics and legal representation that’d get my brother’s charges reexamined and likely dropped. It might exonerate my family name. And ease the pressure off my relationship with Luke Harper.

  Not that our families wouldn’t continue hating each other. That bull had left the pasture years ago.

  The offer would also toss a bucket of water over my Wicked Witch. Or at least knock a chip off Shawna Branson’s shoulder. Petty, I know. But at least I wouldn’t have to resort to blackmailing Shawna myself.

  Money and power were a mighty thing. Heady to think at the snap of Belvia Brakeman’s fingers many of my problems would just go away.

  Dropping the box of Dixie Delites on a side table in her living room, I took in the spare furnishings that reminded me of a doctor’s reception area and realized that was the intended purpose. She didn’t just live in this apartment, it was the nerve center for Meemaw’s Tea. Since I’d been at Halo House, I’d witnessed business types visiting the Brakeman suite. All sorts of people came and went from her apartment. If someone wanted to murder Belvia, it’d sure be easy.

  Hopefully that was paranoia talking.

  I drove to Line Creek, where I had a standing appointment at Forks County Corrections. My resentment ebbed as giddiness bubbled inside me. Thanks to Belvia Brakeman, it was possible my brother Cody wouldn’t have to stare at the same cement block walls much longer. Not that I felt confident in my ability to help her. But the mere chance buoyed my hope and made me feel better than I had in months.

  In the visitor’s room, I slid onto an orange stool to wait. A door opened, but instead of a deputy escorting Cody, the sheriff strode through and stopped before my table. Uncle Will had played defensive tackle for the Bulldogs thirty years ago. He’d maintained the bulk and while some of the bulk had slid south, his nickname, The Intimidator, still rang true.

  Today, however, his countenance showed more fatigue than intimidation.

  “What’s going on?” I said, half rising from my stool.

  “There was an altercation.” Uncle Will held up his hands. “Cody wasn’t involved, but they had to lock down the cells in his area.”

  I placed a hand on my chest to prevent my heart from dislodging. “Is he okay?”

  “He’s fine. Wasn’t anywhere near the fight. Wanted me to tell you myself.”

  “Uncle Will…” I bit my lip to prevent tears from escaping.

  He lowered himself on a stool and gathered my hands in his. “Your brother’s okay. He’s in minimum security. This isn’t Sing Sing. It’s the county jail, but we do get some idiots who cause trouble from time to time. You know this.”

  “I know,” I mumbled. A few tears escaped and I swiped at them with the back of my hand. “I hate this.”

  “Cody did something stupid and he’s paying the price. He accepts that.”

  “He doesn’t deserve to spend the rest of his life in prison for it though.” I lowered my voice. “Forcing Shawna Branson into his car to do a DNA kit was wrong. Charging him with a felony kidnapping is reprehensible on her part. He could get twenty to life.”

  “The charge had more to do with Shawna’s attorney than her, hon. Don’t lay it all on her.”

  “Shawna could tell her attorney it’s ridiculous. And we all know who really hired the attorney. JB Branson. The man who wants to unseat you as sheriff for his own candidate.” I studied his serious warm sepia gaze. Thought about relating Belvia Brakeman’s words back to him. But I didn’t want Uncle Will to know I’d involved myself with one crazy family to solve the craziness in my own. “This is political, isn’t it?”

  “When you’re sheriff, everything is political. It doesn’t help having Cody in my own jail during an election year. Between his trial and the election, your family will be dragged through the mud. It’s easy to want to blame others, Cherry, but sometimes you just have to haul on your boots and try to not get stuck in the mud. Remember your name’s been in the paper as much as Cody’s.”

  “I hear you.” I shuffled my boots. A backfire on this decision to help Miss Belvia could incinerate Uncle Will’s reputation as well as mine. But exonerating my brother would be worth the risk.

  His deep voice gentled. “I’ll arrange for Cody to call you later. We’ll get through this, baby girl.”

  “I’ll do my best to help Cody.” I gave him a teary smile. “And you too.”

  That eveni
ng on the phone, I listened to Cody’s brief account of the altercation and sensed his underlying fear. As much as I hated giving him false hope, the boy needed some good news to brighten his gloomy outlook.

  “Listen, Cody,” I said. “I don’t want to rile you up, but someone in town offered to help us. Maybe get you a new lawyer. Also, they might speak to the Bransons and clear up the mess. As a mediator.”

  “Who’s that?” His voice rose.

  “Just a friend. They want me to take care of something first. And in exchange, they’re willing to help us.”

  “Really? Lord, Cherry, I needed to hear this. I didn’t want to tell you, but I’ve been feeling pretty bleak about this trial. That arraignment didn’t go too well for me.”

  “I know, honey.”

  “And a new lawyer. You think they’d do better than the one I got now?”

  “Any lawyer’s better than the one you got now. But listen, Cody, there’s no guarantee, so don’t start packing your orange jumpsuits yet.”

  “I know. But, Sister, I…” He choked back a sob. “You don’t know what this means to me.”

  “I know, hon. Hang in there. I’ll do my best to get you out. I have to do something for this friend before she’ll grant our wish.”

  “This friend’s an angel of mercy. I’ve been praying,” he whispered. “This is like a miracle.”

  Dorothy’s friends had thought the Wizard miraculous too. Whereas I knew the miracle was small town power. Money instead of smoke and mirrors. But money was a hell of a lot more effective.

  I had a hit-and-run driver to catch and I didn’t feel good about it at all.

  Seven

  Over my morning coffee, I eyed the blond Viking sitting across from me. Like most mornings, he sat before a mixing bowl filled with cereal. A mug of sugar and cream with enough coffee to create a very pale ochre. The local paper opened to the Halo High School sports page. And headphones turned to eleven.

  Most mornings I drank my coffee, immersed in my own musings, and accessorized my fashion choices with a glue gun, paint brush, or Bedazzler. Today I studied my roommate, trying to fathom a reason for his betrayal.

  I rapped on the table.

  Todd glanced up, then pulled off his headphones. “Hey, baby.”

  I tried to relax my face, but couldn’t pull it off. Instead of “How was your date?” I blurted, “What’s the big idea of taking Shawna Branson out?”

  “It’s like this,” said Todd.

  I waited for a whole half-second for his explanation. “Like what?”

  Todd sighed. “I thought I could learn something about Cody’s case if I dated her.”

  I felt the tension in my neck release. “And?”

  “Didn’t work.”

  “Of course it didn’t work,” I said. “Of all the harebrained schemes. Shawna knows where your loyalties lie. She may be a lot of things, but she’s not stupid. For mercy’s sake, she reminds me of the failure of our thirty-two-hour marriage every chance she gets.”

  “Yes,” he said. “She did bring that up.”

  I snorted. “I can’t believe she went out with you at all. What happened? Did your date take you to the drive-in, where his ex got on the PA and announced you as trashy with the morals of an alley cat?”

  “What?” Todd shook his head. “No.”

  “Good, because I’d hate for you to endure that humiliation. Shawna Branson’s done that before, so I wouldn’t put it past her. Of course, it did make me popular with a certain segment of the male high school population that night. Until they found out I wasn’t really alley cat material.”

  “The drive-in isn’t open in the winter.”

  I patted his hand. “That’s okay, honey. What happened?”

  “I took her bowling.”

  “Shawna went bowling?”

  “She’s good. Would have cracked 100 if she hadn’t broken a nail.”

  “Bet she howled about that.”

  Todd shook his head. “Not too much.”

  I couldn’t imagine Shawna not making a stink over her broken nail. “So I guess she wanted to dish on me. What’d she say?”

  “Not too much. Just that she’d been sorry to hear our relationship didn’t work. Then she said, ‘But not that sorry.’”

  “Aha.” I removed my finger from its heavenward point. “She was rubbing our noses in it. I guess she got tired of trash-talking my family and is now going after you.”

  “I don’t think that’s how she meant it,” said Todd. “Because after she said ‘not that sorry,’ she kissed me.”

  My neck prickled. “And what’d you do?”

  “Kissed her back.”

  “How’d you do that?”

  Todd flashed me a sharp look. “It’s been a while, but I haven’t forgotten how to kiss a gal, Cherry.”

  “I meant how could you do that?” I clutched my stomach. “Todd, you’ll give her the wrong idea. Not that I’d give Shawna Branson the time of day, but it’s wrong to lead her on like this.”

  He shrugged. “She’s good at kissing.”

  “That’s beside the point.” I studied his face. “Wait, you didn’t enjoy it. Did you?”

  Todd’s eyes cut away. “Only a little?”

  “It’s like I don’t know you right now.”

  “That’s funny,” he said, jetting to the door. “Shawna said something real similar.”

  The thought of Todd and Shawna sharing spit had put me off thinking about Belvia’s case. I hadn’t done any research yet, but Della’s viewing had been scheduled for later that day. I figured Belvia would stay busy with visitors and I’d catch her in a day or two.

  I donned my visitation dress and puttered to Halo House. Belvia had said her retired assistant would give me a list of names—Meemaw’s Tea suspects—to help me in my “thinking.” Then asked me to check out the list and report back to her on my “thoughts.”

  Much like the Wizard, Belvia didn’t let people idly “think” about what she wanted them to do.

  Molly Kern also lived in Halo House. Belvia said she’d arranged for her former assistant to live down the hall, because of their “dear friendship” and because she could still rely on her, even though Molly had retired. Belvia had talked a lot about Molly—more than anyone else—giving me a rundown of their history. They’d worked together for around fifty years. Belvia had trusted Molly as much as Della. I wondered if Molly liked her “retired” living arrangement, spending the rest of her life still at her boss’s beck and call. But for a kick-butt suite at prestigious Halo House, maybe it was worth it.

  I sped through the lobby, waving hello to my friends at the fountain, and darted up the grand staircase to the second floor. I passed Belvia’s apartment, where a small crowd had convened. At suite 210, a woman peeked out. Her smooth bobbed hair swung beside ears where delicate pearls rested in the fold. More pearls gathered around at the neck of her black suit. Just like Belvia’s.

  I smoothed my Prussian blue visitation dress. I’d stitched two-dimensional wings on the back. Lace with added seed pearls. I felt it soothing for the bereaved to see this reminder of the hereafter. Using lace and pearls was my nod toward convention.

  “Are you Cherry?” she said. “I’m Molly Kern.”

  “Heard you were Mrs. Brakeman’s assistant for fifty years,” I said. “That’s some dedication. She must have been a great boss.”

  Like a good personal assistant, Molly demurely smiled with her mouth shut. She ushered me inside. Compared to Belvia’s austere waiting room, every flat surface in Molly’s crowded space had been covered with memorabilia. Small glass and crystal animals. Hummel figurines. And a curio cabinet of Precious Moment statues.

  Molly handed me an envelope and waved me to sit next to her on a chintz sofa. “Belvia sai
d you wanted a list of board members and executives. Are you helping her with something? I know she could use a new assistant.”

  I slid backward on the overstuffed chintz couch and propped myself forward with a tasseled pillow. “I’d be a terrible assistant. I’m just checking into some things for her.”

  Molly sighed. “She could use a new assistant now that Belvia’s overseeing operations since Della’s COO position stands empty.”

  “At ninety? Why doesn’t she get somebody at the company to help her? Didn’t Della hire someone to take over her job, knowing she’d soon be CEO?”

  “I try to stay out of office politics. But if you need anything, Della had an office manager, Donna Sharp. I refer most business calls to Donna.” Molly’s pale cheeks quivered. “I still get calls and not just from Belvia. Hard to let me go after fifty years, I suppose.”

  I felt sorry for Molly. When Grandma Jo finally quit her position on the church council, the church folks acted like she never left, constantly asking for help. It frustrated me. They wore her out, yet she wouldn’t refuse anyone. Even after we found out about the cancer.

  Molly looked just as tired. Belvia had also asked me to “keep an eye on Molly while you’re getting this business sorted out.” Now I realized why. Belvia didn’t want Meemaw’s Tea folks bothering Molly. Even if Belvia seemed to feel a right to call on her.

  Ninety and blind, nevertheless that chafed me.

  I tapped the envelope against my palm, wondering if I could rely on this Donna to help me instead of Molly. “Would Belvia find Donna trustworthy?”

  “I suppose so. Donna told me she’s expecting a promotion.”

  “Because of Della’s death?”

  “I wouldn’t put it that bluntly.”

  “Sorry, my Grandma Jo used to say I’d not just tell how the cow ate the cabbage, I’d paint you a picture as well.”