Chapter 8

I sent Jeff back to work feeling slightly better than when he came home for lunch.  He had decided to assign interviewing Mr. Maguire's list of possible suspects to Officer Danny - who needed some investigative experience. Jeff said Danny could also brush up a little on his people skills.  Life is so uneventful around Piney Point that Danny spent most of his time in a squad car out by the interstate exit waiting for speeders to take the left turn into town.  I was pretty sure he'd welcome the change of scenery and be happy to relieve Jeff of questioning little old ladies about their friendship with good old Jerry.

I made a German chocolate cake to take to Jimmy and Rob's for dessert and worked for a while on organizing the pantry.  Sometimes too much space is nearly as bad as not enough - but I was sure we'd eventually find a way to fill it up.  I looked up at the clock and realized I had just enough time to walk up and meet the kids at school.  I leashed up the dogs, yelled in the direction of the carriage house to let Pop know I was leaving and up Magnolia Street we went.

It was a nice afternoon stroll.  Magnolia Street is aptly named for the trees lining the wide boulevard.  The houses are old and gracious with wide, welcoming front porches and beautifully landscaped azalea beds.  In the spring, the neighborhood is a riot of color; I was looking forward to updating the flower beds around our house.  Jeff and Aunt Rob had a shared love of gardening; when we were in high school, Jeff mowed their lawn and helped out in the spring with planting their beautiful flower garden.  He was almost as proud of the fair ribbons and awards Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Rob won as they were.  Jeff had helped my dad plant tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers in the garden at our house.  I'll admit that we spent a lot more hours than necessary watering and weeding that little patch of ground.  We haven't had a garden since, but I was pretty sure I'd be able to talk him into planting some vegetables with the kids.  I might even help him weed and water it.

I tried not to look at Mr. Maguire's house as we walked by.  In fact, I didn't think I'd ever be able to look the man in the face again.  Knowing things you ought not to know can do that you.  Three houses down, Uncle Jimmy was sitting on the porch with a glass of tea in his hand.  I stopped at the end of his driveway.

"Hey, sugar," he called out.  "You want to come sit a spell and have some tea?"

"I'm on my way to get the kids from school; we'll stop on the way back," I answered and continued on to the corner.  Duncan led the way as we turned right and walked another block to the red brick elementary school.  There were a few cars waiting for student pick-up, but most of the parents were sitting on benches in the shade near the front entrance.  I steered my furry children to the empty bench on the end of the row and sat down.  Amazingly, the dogs sat, too.

A tall, well-dressed woman with too much makeup minced her way over to me in a designer outfit and a cloud of expensive perfume.  "Hello," she chirped and handed me a business card.  "I'm Ariadne and Dexter's mom.  Whose mom are you?"  The card actually said Ariadne & Dexter's Mom.

"Taylor and Jake.  Tay is in sixth grade and Jake is in first."  I was holding my breath, trying not to get too light-headed from the perfume.

"Oooh," she shrieked. "Ariadne is in sixth grade, too!  Maybe she knows your son."

"Taylor is a girl," I said.  And then added hastily, "Jake is a boy."

"You're so funny!  Maybe the girls can have a sleepover," she paused to take a breath.  Just then the bell rang - thank you, Lord.  I was saved from having to tell her than Taylor doesn't do sleepovers.  "Oh - here they come!" she yelped and dashed over to meet her daughter and son; well, I assumed Dexter was a boy, but you never know.

"Mom!  Mom!" Jake's voice rose over the din of children greeting parents after a long day at school.  "I have show & tell tomorrow!  I can't wait - do you think Daddy will come?"  His little feet screeched to a halt in front of me.  "Will he, oh please?"

"Honey, he told you he would.  You can ask him tonight at dinner.  Where's your sister?"

"She's talking to that boy over there.  The one with the skateboard.  See?"  Jake pointed at them, much to Taylor's chagrin.  I reached out and put his hand down.

"Don't embarrass her.  It's not polite to point," I said.  A boy, I thought and smiled to myself.  Her dad is going to be all over this.

"His brother is in my class.  His name is Ethan and his dad is the preacher at a church," Jake informed me.

"The boy Tay is talking to is Ethan?"

"No," Jake said, exasperated.  "His brother is Ethan.  I don't know that kid's name."

My daughter caught me watching her and hurried over toward us.  "Hi, Mom.  Have you been here long?"

"We been watching you talk to that boy," announced Jake, an annoying little brother through and through.

"We weren't spying," I assured her.  "The dogs and I were out for a walk and I just thought we'd walk you all home.  Or would you rather I picked you up in the car?"

"Mom, it's four blocks.  We are capable of walking.  That boy is in my class and his name is Will.  He invited me to come to his church youth group."  Taylor was walking backwards in front of me.

"That was nice,"I said, and I really thought it was.  A lot better idea than a sleepover with Ariadne and her tarted-up mother.  "You'll have to see what Daddy thinks."

"He likes baseball," she offered, knowing her father would approve of Will's sport of choice.

We had turned the corner at Magnolia.  Jake decided to race Duncan and Zippy to Uncle Jimmy's house; I stopped and readjusted the leash on my arm before the terriers took off behind them.

"Mom?  What's that police car doing at Uncle Jimmy's house?"

I looked up to see young Officer Danny standing next to the car in the driveway down the street.  Just then, Jeff pulled up along the curb, lights flashing.  But the cars weren't at Uncle Jimmy's house, they were at Mr. Maguire's house.  "Come on," I said to Taylor and we hurried down the street.

Told you something else was going to happen.