Chardonnayed to Rest by J.C. Eaton

Author:J.C. Eaton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2018-04-09T20:27:52+00:00

Chapter 17

I had just put my cereal bowl in the sink and was reaching in the cabinet below for a new bottle of dish soap when the phone rang. The call wasn’t unusual for a Saturday morning, but the time was. It was only seven fifteen. I wiped my hands and picked up the receiver.

This better not be toilets overflowing, Alvin breaking loose and running down the driveway, or the return of the seventeen-year locusts.

“Hello?”

“Norrie! Thank God you’re home.” Rosalee sounded more stressed than ever. “Kelsey Payne’s been arrested for murder. Those idiotic deputies think he killed Roy Wilkes. Poor Kelsey got hauled into the sheriff’s office a few minutes ago. His brother, Cal, called me from there. He won’t even be able to post bail until Monday. You’ve got to do something.”

“Um, that’s awful, but I’m not sure what I can do.”

“Find the real killer, that’s what! And do it before they hang my handyman.”

I didn’t bother to tell her hangings weren’t an option in New York State. Instead, I asked her to calm down and tell me everything she knew.

Surprisingly, she managed to keep her voice steady. “They found incriminating evidence on Roy Wilkes’ clothing that points to Kelsey. A fingerprint match, of all things. According to Cal, it was a really clear thumb print on one of the metal jacket buttons.”

“But how did they—Oh never mind. You did tell me Kelsey was arrested when he was younger. Funny, but I always thought those records were sealed.”

“Not to law enforcement, apparently. And knowing Deputy Hickman, he got a court order to release them.”

“But why? Why suddenly decide to compare a thumb print from the crime scene with those on file for Kelsey Payne? It doesn’t add up.”

“It does if someone was trying to frame Kelsey. Cal said the sheriff’s office got an anonymous tip.”

“Oh geez. That really boils it down. What about a lawyer? Does Kelsey have one?”

“My next call is to Marvin Souza. About time he woke up. Of course, he’ll probably send that Bradley whatshisname over to the jail.”

It’s Jamison and it’s not the jail. It’s the Public Safety Building.

“You think?” I tried not to sound too excited. Here I was practically salivating over an opportunity to see Bradley Jamison again while some poor guy got railroaded for murder.

“If I know Marvin,” Rosalee said, “the last thing he’s about to do is ruin a weekend. Of course he’ll send that kid.”

“Uh, it probably wouldn’t hurt if I drove down there.” Who the heck am I kidding?

I was positive they’d never let me see Kelsey, but nothing would stop them from me having a conversation with Gladys Pipp. I knew she worked on Saturdays from nine to noon because she mentioned it to me when I last spoke with her about Roy Wilkes’ bank.

Rosalee cleared her throat for what seemed like forever. “Cal will still be there. I’d bet money on it. Tell him I’m getting a lawyer. This is the worst possible time of year for something like this.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.