The Killer Enigma, page 7
“She does appear capable.” JJ shifted in his chair. “And the value of the property if I can overcome the tax and permitting issues?”
“In 2020, the cost per acre rose twenty-five-percent. It appears to be a good investment. Likely less than five-thousand dollars per acre in the Hill Country will secure your purchase if the bank can cut through the red tape.”
“Thank you, ICABOD. Unless there is something else, I’m shutting down.”
“There is a thread I’m working on Ms. Stacie Duncan. I found her masters study and graduation with honors at the University of Chicago ten years ago. Her work record is good to the point of being hired by Mr. Montgomery. But I also located a sealed court record I am still working to access regarding a name change. It could be she married and changed her name to hide from a former husband. Or, gave testimony and needed protection. Do you want me to pursue this avenue to open the record?”
JJ thought back to the weird non-acknowledgement by Stacie at the spa. “Yes, if it is easy. If it gets too hard to find it, pass it by. Thank you, ICABOD.” He wiped the keyboard after the device shut down.
JJ’s attention got pulled to his right. He saw Jo standing with arms folded and an almost-smirk on her face. “I knew you’d never sleep in, honey. How much sleep did you get?”
“Enough to drag you back to bed for hours of enjoyment.” He grinned mischievously with open arms.
“I’m hungry, so let’s play later.”
“Spoilsport.” He rose and tucked the laptop in the closet. “I’ll take a quick shower. We can go over some of the details I uncovered over breakfast.” He kissed her sweetly, inhaling her fresh scent, totally wishing she’d taken him up on the offer. He continued toward the open steamy door. “Would you please grab me some clothes?”
“Oh, good. You can start with the highlights.”
Jo danced down the stairs ahead of JJ, pausing at the landing to see if he was close.
He closed the distance, lifting her into an embrace. He nuzzled her neck. “I’d follow you anywhere, darling.”
Jo pressed her hands against his chest, breaking loose from his grip. “Good.” She waltzed into the dining room, selecting their preferred table with a window. “JJ, the flowers look happy this morning. I wonder if it rained last night.”
Lily appeared right behind JJ just as he moved to help Jo with her chair. “Nope, but I did run the sprinklers. It’s getting warm, and they appreciate the evening drink to soak it all in. You have the place all to yourselves this morning ’cos Mr. Montgomery and Ms. Duncan went to Harry’s for coffee and his special this morning. What can I get ya?”
Jo placed a hand on her chin and tapped her finger against her cheek. “Lily, you can surprise me, though a little sweet would be good.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “That’s helpful. And you, young man. Do have something more specific?”
“I’d like an omelet with the works, side of toast with honey, berries, coffee, and skillet potatoes if you have them.” He grinned at her stunned expression. “Oh, and tabasco sauce on the side. I’ll grab us coffee from the buffet area.”
Jo laughed. “That helped. Lily, I’ll take a small stack of pancakes and sample from his plate.”
JJ stared at her then chuckled. “All’s fair, love.”
Lily clapped her hands. “I’ll get this in a jiffy, then I want to hear about your plans. I did overhear a little of your discussion at dinner last night. But I want the latest details.”
“Of course.” JJ rose and followed Lily’s retreat, stopping for coffee. “Hey, Lily,” he called. “Did you want coffee with that conversation, too?” He heard her snarky reply, ‘Of course.’
“Thank you, honey. The coffee smells wonderful. Maybe we should stop by Harry’s and do a compare.”
“We can. We’ll be in town.” He sipped and sighed. “I found a few things out about the Stevens couple. Lots of sadness in their background. They did get married after Marissa graduated high school. They came to Texas to start married life. She went to a specialist to find out why they weren’t getting pregnant. The results of several tests indicated cancer was the culprit.”
JJ heard Lily shout from behind the kitchen door. “Louder, JJ, with the frying noises, I’m not catching all you’re saying. Or wait a minute, I’m nearly finished.”
They looked at one another, chuckling. Jo commented, “My, what big ears you have.”
Lily exited the kitchen butt first, plates in-hand. “Damn straight, Jo. How else would I know about things if I didn’t listen in?” She set down the plates and napkins with silverware, then rushed back for the extras on an additional plate, and a carafe of coffee. Then she sat across the table. “Go on, JJ.”
“Lily, you’ve been in this town for years. Did you know Marissa Stevens and her husband Thomas?”
“Sure. Marissa had a green thumb and an enviable garden on their spread. In fact, it was her that got me so interested in flowers. In many ways, Marissa felt like a daughter or a younger sister, all full of ideas for her future with Thomas, and a family. She even helped me design the flow of the gardens. What a tragedy she died so young.” Lily paused. “Thomas came for lunch now and again, usually with co-workers or customers. Folks boasted that his investment advice was rock solid.” She took another sip then freshened their cups from the container. Her eyes misted a bit, JJ noticed, as she continued. “My husband, Cody, was alive then. We were trying to launch this place. He was building out the addition and doing the overall maintenance, while I worked on my cooking repertoire. During those days we only had weekends open for food or overnight guests. The town mourned her passing. It was like a candle blown out.” Lily placed her elbow on the table, cocked her head, and leaned her chin on her fist. “Never understood why Thomas left, or why he never sent anyone a message. He knew we all cared and would-a helped him.”
JJ nodded and patted her other hand, lying flat on the table. “Thank you, Lily. We are sorry for your loss of Cody.”
“It was a long time ago. I’ve grown used to it.”
“Do you recall a girl named Annie who helped Thomas with Marissa? Ann or Hank mentioned her when we discussed the Stevens’ vacant property. Which, by the way, is where we’d like a vacation home, but let’s not tell everyone yet,” Jo said with a smile. “JJ is looking at details to see if we can swing it.”
Lily raised her eyebrows and appeared pleased. “Annie Flagstone is who you mean. Sure, she worked part time for me. She was a bit forgetful, shy, and young. Younger than Marissa, that’s for sure. I paid her in cash to help do cleaning after weekend guests, so she never had a work record per se. When Thomas put out the word, he needed help taking care of Marissa after she started treatments—which did no good—I recommended Annie as she wanted full time employment. I’m not certain where that girl laid her head before she worked for Thomas and Marissa. I suspect she often slept in the park. The reason she wanted to be here was the meals were free as one of the perks for working for me. She was a thin thing with the softest Southern twang.”
“She disappeared too, right?” JJ asked.
“Not really. She stopped in here a few weeks or a month or so after Marissa’s funeral and said she’d saved enough to try to earn her degree. She’d found a room near a small university with a lady who wanted housekeeping help. Annie said she wanted an education.”
“Did you ever hear any more?”
“No.” Lily scrunched her nose. “I’m sure she got her degree and even found a husband in school. I haven’t thought about her in years.”
“I think we’ve occupied up enough of Lily’s time. We need to walk around town like you suggested. I think we could go to the library and newspaper office for the rest of our research. If we find what we need, then I want us to make an appointment at the bank.”
Jo jumped from her chair bubbling with excitement. “Lily, don’t tell a soul about our desire for the property. Not yet, but you’ll be the first to know if we go forward.”
Lily gave her a big hug. “My lips are sealed. Nothing would make me happier, sweet pea.”
Sunshine and a slight breeze convinced JJ and Jo to walk to all their planned stops this morning. Their hands were gently clasped as they walked toward town.
“Where do you want to start, Jo?”
“If any of the shop windows look interesting, we can take a look inside. Otherwise let’s head to the newspaper office. You wanted to review back issues, which could take some time.”
Nine in the morning and the streets were quiet. JJ suspected most folks were at home sleeping in or doing chores. He spotted the coffee shop. “Jo, do you want to grab a latte now or later?”
“Later. I’m still full.” She pointed. “Look, there’s the newspaper office.”
JJ moved his hand to the small of her back and guided her across the street. He noticed movement inside. “It appears someone is working. By the size of the man, I bet he is Graham Huston. That’s who Lily said we should speak with first.” The door was unlocked, so JJ opened it.
The man looked toward them. He appeared to be just over forty, with jade green eyes that moved as if assessing them both. “Hi, there, how can I help you?”
“Are you Graham Huston?”
“The very same.”
“I’m JJ Rodreguiz and this is my wife, Jo. We’re staying at Flower. Lily suggested we ask you if we can review back issues of the paper.”
Graham looked at them, his eyes growing wider. “Aren’t you the pair who assisted the podcast mavens resolve their transmission issues last year? You exposed the human trafficking operation by Mateo, too.”
“We are. And we did, but we’re here for our anniversary vacation and are looking at a piece of property to buy.”
“For investment or to join the community?”
Jo nearly burst with her excitement. “We’re hoping to build a vacation place to come and get away. We like the people here.”
“I do too, young lady.” He scratched his head. “Not to be rude, however your face is striking, ma’am. We’ve not met before?”
Jo walked closer and shook his hand. “We have now. May I call you Graham?”
“Sure. Young man, what years did you want to see? And do you have a specific subject of interested?”
“We’re interested in a piece of property near Hank and Ann Franklin’s spread. It’s been vacant for decades. Someone stopped paying the taxes, so we might have a shot at getting it. The couple who owned it were Thomas and Marissa Stevens. She died too young and ended up in Magnolia Bluff’s cemetery. He left town, probably couldn’t deal with the memories. We’d like to see if we can find him before we do the investment in remaking the property.”
“I’ve spent considerable time in the graveyard.” Graham raised a hand and tapped his cheek. “I sort of remember her name on a headstone. I seem to recollect she was twenty-three or twenty- four when she died. You’re right, that’s way too young. I wasn’t working here then. The original editor of this paper passed away, so that won’t help you. There might be some older birds who knew them.” His hand stroked his chin in thought. “I suppose you spoke to Hank and Ann Franklin. They have a ranch outside of town.” He jerked his chin up with a nod. “Oh, Flower is owned and operated by Lily Greenly, too. They’ve been around long enough to perhaps recall them.”
Jo nodded. “Yes, we have some insights to the couple. We’re hoping to find articles about some of the events they hosted on the property. Thomas worked for the bank. Maybe the obituary had details of the funeral or photos.”
Graham agreed. “Folks, I only keep five years of back issues here. I simply don’t have the room for more. Forty years of back issues got taken to our library to film. It’s stored as microfiche to preserve our Magnolia Bluff history for researchers. I’m glad, I guess, that someone will get value out of those efforts. I’m not certain how familiar you are with microfiche, but there’s no search engine optimization or SEO, as you likely know it, for that material. As I recall, we have a bit of an indexing schema with date, section of the paper, article title, byline, and the content. Last time I spoke to Caroline, she said four of her microfiche readers were operational. The high school kids often review old magazines to learn fashions for some of the school plays.”
Jo laughed. “I can see that being a walk down memory lane. Styles do come back around.”
JJ inclined his head and grinned. “Thanks for the information, Graham. We’ll go check with Caroline, whom Lily also suggested we visit.”
They shook hands, and JJ guided Jo outdoors. They paused outside, trying to determine the direction to take when JJ noticed Graham staring through the window.
“JJ,” Jo questioned, “do you think he recognized me? I can’t see him reading fashion magazines, but one never knows. Heck, Lily does, which surprised me.”
JJ patted her back. “For some reason, I think it’s okay. I’ll keep an eye on you.”
He looked at the map and decided a left turn would take them to the library. The air had warmed during the short time they chatted with Graham. “If you’re not hungry or thirsty, let’s head to the library and start our research. It could take a while.”
Jo shook her head. “No, let’s visit the cemetery and get the information off her headstone first. We can pay our respects.”
JJ checked the map and mentally changed their route.
Calvin glanced around at the interior, comparing it to Flower. “I don’t know why we came here,” he grumbled. “Lily’s coffee and food seemed fine to me. This place is noisy, and we waited to get a seat.”
“There’s two landmark restaurants in this small town,” Stacie conveyed with contorted expressions. “We’re staying at the first, Flower B&B. Harry’s Really Good Wood-Fired Coffee shop is the other. At Flower, Lily serves upscale food for the more discerning patron. There are choices for calorie-conscious folks, and silverware with cloth napkins. Her coffee is arabica and blended with other coffees for a refined, upscale flavor.”
Calvin sensed she talked down to him and found it rude. Still, he always listened.
“Harry has a valued reputation for his coffee making. Outside of Flower, this is the best destination in town for breakfast. During the week, Harry closes most afternoons by two. People who don’t want that foo-foo style of coffee come here for his strong, secret blend. His coffee is reported to be just short of an illegal stimulant. The only person to drink five 12-ounce cups in one sitting claimed to see the future.”
Stacie smirked. “The food served boasts traditional breakfast dishes created by his chef, Miguel. People who patronize Harry’s like the spices of the chilaquiles, a Mexican dish consisting of strips or pieces of corn tortillas that are fried, then sautéed with green or red salsa, and topped with cheese, crema, and onion. At times, he also serves chilaquiles verdes, which uses the tortilla chips and fresh avocados. Look around.” She gestured giving a swipe of her hand, palm up. “With the summer tourists and new marketing efforts, Harry’s seen an uptick for a month now. It’s crowded with the line out the door. Folks often opt for seconds to go. It could be less crowded when school starts back up.”
Calvin tried to figure out if he should laugh or shake his head at her detailed monolog. “You’ve explained the what, now tell me why.”
Suppressing a grin, Stacie motioned with her chin to the doorway where Gunter stood in line to get seated.
Calvin looked then turned to face her. “How did you know he’d come for breakfast?”
Stacie innocently fluttered her lashes. “Boss, it looks pretty crowded. Ask him to join us so he doesn’t have to stand in line.”
Calvin moved near Gunter and gained his attention. Gunter dabbed his brow like a man who’d gotten rescued from a burning building. “Mighty nice of you, Calvin, to share your table. I waited twenty minutes for a spot yesterday.”
“No problem.” Calvin waved the waitress over, indicating the additional person.
“What’s your pleasure today, Gunter?” the waitress asked while she filled the coffee cups.
“I’ll have the special this morning, and a pair of breakfast tacos. Always a good choice. Thanks, hon.” Gunter looked between his table companions. “I’m kinda sorry Harry’s using the newfangled marketing plan that brings in the tourists. I’m hoping it goes back to the quiet spot to eat during the week.”
After her breakfast description, Calvin shifted his eyes between Gunter and Stacie.
Gunter sipped his coffee. “Thanks again, Calvin, for a seat at your table. I planned to arrive sooner, but my wife had the honey-do list pinned to the door.”
“I understand. Glad we had an extra chair.”
Gunter squirreled his expression as if searching Calvin for an answer. “Our discussion yesterday wasn’t what you wanted. I’m surprised at the invitation.”
Stacie took a sip of coffee. “We were lamenting the conversation when Calvin spotted you. You seemed so resistant to our investment discussion that it doesn’t sound like a good use of our time or yours. We heard you’re not interested in selling to the investment group, or even allowing us to buy seats on the board of directors. Calvin mentioned, because this area is thriving, perhaps a second bank would be as prosperous.”
Calvin nodded. “Likely more so with newer technology and state-of-the-art customer experiences. A broad portfolio of banking, investments, and loans for the anytime-any-mode consumer. With the right marketing we can bring in some light manufacturing affiliates associated with our group. We’d naturally encourage those new employees to bank with us.”
