Delta Blues by Carolyn Haines

Author:Carolyn Haines [Haines, Carolyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-1-4405-3084-5
Publisher: F+W Media, Inc.
Published: 2010-11-20T16:00:00+00:00

13 A Man Feeling Bad

Toni L.P. Kelner

IT WAS NEARLY DAWN before the underfed cop finally escorted me to the station’s interview room, where the lieutenant in charge was trying to sort out what had happened. I didn’t hold the long wait against him. I’ve been an insurance investigator for five years, and the first thing I learned on the job was that everybody lies. As many people as the cops had had to question before me, they must have already been up to their eyeballs in evasion, confusion, and pure out invention. Besides, it had given me more time to figure out what I wanted to tell him.

“Ms. Grace Monroe?” the lieutenant asked, checking a notepad covered with some personal form of hieroglyphics.

I nodded.

“I’m Lieutenant Johnson. I’d like to ask you some questions. Have you been advised of your rights?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good.” He turned a page on his pad and wrote my name. “What can you tell me about the shooting?”

“It was after Buddy finished his set. I went backstage to see him, and then we both came out and sat at Akers’ table.”

“Mr. Kendricks was there as well?”

“That’s right.”

“And you knew all three men?”

“I’d seen Akers and Kendricks twice before, and had spoken to Akers, but tonight was the first time I spoke to Kendricks. I suppose you’d call them acquaintances.”

“And Mr. Bartholomew?”

“Oh, I’ve known Buddy Bartholomew for over ten years. He was married to my sister, Brandy.”

Since he didn’t add anything to his notes, I figured he already knew that. “Then what happened?” he asked me.

“Akers offered Buddy a drink and sent Kendricks up to the bar to get it.”

Johnson still wasn’t writing, so I knew I still hadn’t told him anything he hadn’t already found out.

I went on. “Akers told Buddy what a good job he’d done, that it was the best he’d ever heard him play. Buddy said it was because of Akers, and then he came out with the gun.”

“You hadn’t seen the gun before then?”

“No, sir. Buddy had a towel in his hand, the one he’d used during the show to wipe his face down. The gun was under the towel.”

“Then what?”

“Buddy aimed the gun at Akers, and some woman must have seen it, because there was a scream. Akers just went still, and I grabbed Buddy’s hand and tried to point it away. Then the gun went off.”

“Just once?”

“No, sir. It went off twice.”

Still no notes.

“Do you have any idea why your brother-in-law would want to shoot Akers?”

“Yes, sir, I do.”

“Beg pardon?”

“I know exactly why Buddy wanted to hurt Phillip Akers.”

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