Buried in Stone by Eric Wright

Author:Eric Wright
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio
Published: 1995-03-22T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

Pickett accepted the commission, but instead of having to drive out to Sweetwater he ran into Wilkie leaning into a car window, talking to one of his men outside Caxton’s house. “I’ve got something you might want to know about,” Pickett said.

Wilkie straightened up, glanced back at Caxton’s house and up and down the street for a place to sit down. “Come for a ride,” he said. “I’m parked just down the street.”Pickett joined him in the cruiser and Wilkie pointed the car out of town.

Pickett said, “Why are you watching Caxton?”

“We aren’t watching him, Mel.”

“Bullshit. There’s someone sitting near his house day and night. What are you hoping to see? I’ll bet I’m the only one who’s visited the guy.”

“That’s right. You are. Fact is, he spends all his time alone or with you. Mostly he just sits looking at the street.”

“He’s mourning.”

“For Marlow?”

“Don’t be an asshole. For himself and Betty Cullen.”

“Yeah? Well, he’s not doing anything, for which I’m grateful.”

At the junction of the highway he turned away from the direction of Sweetwater. “I’ve had no lunch,” he said. “There’s a place up here with the best homemade soup in the county.”

“How come you haven’t had time to eat? You doing one of these round-the-clock investigations you’re always telling the public about? You coulda fooled me.”

“Oh, I had time, Mel. I had time. But I made the mistake of going into this ptomaine clinic by the gas station, a real greasy spoon, and you could tell by the broad behind the counter there was no way to trust the food. We just had a coffee …”

Pickett was bright red and looking murderous before he realized what Wilkie was up to. “You bastard,” he said. “Who told you?”

“Everybody, Mel. It’s that size of town.” Wilkie was beside himself with glee. “Shouldn’t you be careful, at your age? Rich, randy widower like you. How well do you know her?”

“Knock it off. I remember you now. You always went too goddamn far. Now knock it off.”

“Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Seriously, she looks like a very nice lady. When’s the big day?”

“You want to hear what I have to say?”

“Go ahead. I’m just jealous. But I didn’t have any lunch because Copps was sure she tells you everything she hears.”

“He’s right. She does. Now listen to me for a minute.” Finally he told the tale. He ended, “Villiers, the bank manager, is hoping you might be able to use the information without involving him. He wouldn’t want everyone to think their secrets aren’t safe with him.”

Wilkie said, “All right. So far, one fifty-dollar bill. Could have come from anywhere, and I’ll think about it before I have a talk with Marlow’s sister. He may have had two or three of them on him. This bank teller—Jenny?—I’ll tell the manager to get her to watch out for any more, let us know where they came from. Then I’ll ask some more questions.” He looked at his watch. “Time for a bowl of soup. This place has got new people running it.

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