Brightleaf by Rand Raleigh

Author:Rand, Raleigh [Rand, Raleigh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Raleigh Rand
Published: 2014-06-22T07:00:00+00:00

23

Sleuthing

Everyone is present and accounted for. The regulars at least: Vanessa, Winslow, Chauncey, Eleanor, Mavis, Jimmy and his under painters, Baby George and Phil. Terry and Doyle are here, too. I asked Doyle to please make a special appearance. As much as his lazy eye bothers me with its probing, inquisitive way, I’ve softened when it comes to him. I’ve gotten to know him enough to believe he wouldn’t use his powers for selfish purposes.

Everyone picks a seat in the circle, and I say, “I know it’s only Monday, so I appreciate ya’ll coming out to discuss this Ned thing.”

Winslow fiddles with an unlit cigarette and says in his deep, slow voice, “From what I know of Ned, he stuck to himself, but was not necessarily introverted. And I do not believe he was murdered.”

“I don’t either,” I say.

“You don’t?” asks Eleanor. “Then why do the police think that?”

“I’m not sure why the police think that.”

“Maybe it was suicide!” says Jimmy. “Or accidental suicide. Like mistaking rat poison for sugar or something.”

“I didn’t know Ned well,” says Terry, “but he’d have to be sleepwalking to mistake rat poison for sugar…isn’t it blue?”

“Sleepwalking! Didn’t Ned sleepwalk?” asks Eleanor. “That night he turned on the TV after he went to sleep? Remember? He told us about it.”

“You think he was really sleepwalking?” I ask. “Maybe. What was his dream about anyway?”

Baby George leans back on the sofa and says, “The ghost of the Fonz turned on his TV.” Baby George’s clothes are splotched with dried paint from the neck of his shirt down to shoes.

Phil says, “That was me. I have a ghost in my truck.”

“Phil, it’s your liquor bottle that’s haunted,” says Winslow.

Jimmy says, “Baby George remembers right. Ned was having a dream the Fonz saved him from Evil Otto or something.”

Mavis wrinkles her forehead, making it look like a topo map, and says, “What’s a Evil Otto?”

Chauncey says, “Evil Otto is a video game villain. He’s pretty scary.”

“Sounds Nazi,” says Terry.

“That’s the funny thing about Evil Otto,” says Chauncey. “He’s terrifying, but he’s just a smiley face.”

“That’s hardly scary,” says Eleanor.

“I don’t know,” says Winslow. “Smiling villains are pretty disturbing.”

“Exactly!” says Chauncey.

“I think the police should explore the sleepwalking a little more,” says Winslow. “That should be in his file.”

“It wouldn’t hurt,” says Terry.

I turn to Doyle, who’s been quiet this whole time.

“Do you remember what you told Ned the night of the grocery reading?”

Floyd is fast asleep on his lap. Doyle absentmindedly strokes his fur. I take a close look at his hands. Doyle’s fingers and nails are truly angelic, as Mavis said. What I wouldn’t give to be in Floyd’s place right now.

Doyle’s good eye looks at me, but the lazy eye seems to be recollecting. He says, “I vividly remember the detailed grocery list of each person present that evening.”

Apparently the lazy eye has a photographic memory.

That eye casually rolls towards Terry and lands, searching. Good thing Terry doesn’t notice because he might get all hot under the collar and stomp out again.

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