Claws For Concern

TWENTY

“Are you sure about that?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Delaney replied. “I appreciate you coming to the hospital, but I really got no claim on you. You’ve been kind, but I can’t impose on you anymore.”

He wanted to get rid of me, and that convinced me he was lying about the hit-and-run driver. I didn’t think now was the time to press him on the subject, however. He looked beaten down and vulnerable due to his condition, and I couldn’t force myself to play a bad-cop routine when he was like this. I would give him a day or two to think about it, because he had obviously had no idea someone tried to kill him until I told him. After he thought about that nasty fact he might change his mind about talking to me.

I rose. “I’ve been glad to help, although I really haven’t done much. Is there anything you need?”

He shook his head, then winced. “No, thanks. Like I said, you’ve done more than enough. Right now I just need to rest.”

“All right,” I said. “But if you change your mind, I’m only a phone call away.”

He nodded, then closed his eyes. I stood there a moment longer, but he didn’t move or open his eyes. I turned and left the room, pulling the door halfway closed as it had been when I arrived.

As I approached my car in the parking lot a few minutes later, I remembered I needed to call Jack Pemberton and fill him in on today’s events. I didn’t like talking on the phone while I was driving, even though I now had a car—purchased last month—that allowed me to sync my cell phone to its audio system and talk hands-free. I had used the feature only twice, but, while it was convenient, I was still concerned that I might get distracted. Even though I had conversations when there were people in the car with me and managed not to have accidents, a phone conversation didn’t feel the same.

When I arrived home, Helen Louise and Diesel greeted me at the back door. I kissed Helen Louise before I gave Diesel a scratch on the head, and he didn’t seem to mind.

“You’re back sooner than I expected,” Helen Louise said.

“Sooner than I expected also,” I replied. “He says he doesn’t really remember anything, other than that he thinks he took the bus to get downtown from his apartment. After that he’s pretty blank.”

“Did you tell him what Laura saw?”

I nodded. “Right after that he suddenly didn’t want to impose on me anymore. Thanked me for my help but pretty much told me to buzz off. Not rudely, though.”

“Maybe he didn’t believe you about the deliberate hit,” Helen Louise said.

“I’m pretty sure he did, although he denied knowledge of anyone who would want to injure or kill him. I decided there was no point in arguing with him today. He looks pretty pitiful.” I described his appearance to Helen Louise.

She grimaced. “Poor man, I hope he’s going to be able to recover from this.”

“He’ll get excellent care at the hospital,” I said, “but I have no idea how long they’ll keep him there. When I go back to see him in a day or two, he might know more about what the plan is for his rehab.”

“I hope he’s sensible and confides in you, or at least in the police,” Helen Louise said.

“We’ll see,” I replied. “What are your plans for the rest of the afternoon and this evening?”

“Depends on what you have in mind,” Helen Louise said.

“I need to call Jack Pemberton and bring him up-to-date on the latest events,” I said. “Plus arrange to get together to plan our investigation. That shouldn’t take more than an hour. I’d say we might go out for dinner, but Diesel would have to be on his own. Unless Stewart and Haskell are going to be here.”

Hearing his name, the cat meowed loudly. I always suspected he understood the word alone. He wouldn’t be happy left in the house by himself. I wouldn’t be happy, either. I knew I spoiled him terribly, but he was a member of the family.

“I’d just as soon stay at home for dinner,” Helen Louise said. “I thought I might run home, have a quick shower and change. I have the ingredients for what I’d like to cook, and I’ll bring them back with me.”

“Wouldn’t you rather cook at your house?” I said. “Diesel and I can come to your place if you’d prefer.”

“I’d rather come back here.” Helen Louise gave me a kiss before she picked up her purse from the counter. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

The muffled sounds of a cell phone ringtone emanated from her purse. Helen Louise dug the phone out and frowned when she saw who was calling. “The bistro,” she said to me before she answered.

I heard only her side of the conversation, and it didn’t take long to figure out that one of her employees had injured himself and was out of commission for the rest of the day. Helen Louise ended the call after promising to be there in about half an hour. She put the phone away.

“Sorry, love.” She grimaced.

“Who’s hurt?”

“Henry cut his left hand pretty badly, and a friend who was in the bistro when it happened has taken him to the emergency room. They’re shorthanded now, so I’m going to have to go in and work. Probably tomorrow, too, because I don’t imagine Henry will be able to do much.”

“You get going. I’m sorry your day away ended like this, but even sorrier for poor Henry.” I slid my arm around her and pulled her to me for another kiss. After several highly satisfying seconds she pulled away.

“Talk to you later,” she said. Diesel followed her to the door, warbling all the way. She rubbed his head quickly before she walked out the door. He stood there for at least thirty seconds, but when she didn’t come back through the door he returned to my side.

Time to call Jack Pemberton. I poured myself a glass of ice water before I settled at the table. Diesel stretched out by my chair.

Jack answered right away. “Hi, Charlie. What’s been going on?”

“Hey, Jack,” I said. “Interesting developments involving Bill Delaney. I’m curious to get your take on everything.” He listened while I told him what had happened today and didn’t comment until I finished. That pleased me because I really hated having my train of thought interrupted while I was trying to make sure I didn’t leave out any details. “So what do you think?”

“First off, I think you’re right. He has some idea of who might want to put him out of the way permanently. Now, whether it’s an old enemy with a score to settle, or the killer in the Barber case trying to get rid of him before he tells what he knows . . .” He paused. “Could be either situation.”

“True,” I said. “It could also be a vigilante type who thinks he got away with murder and decided to see justice done. I’m inclined to think it’s got to be related to the murders in some way.”

“Hadn’t thought of the vigilante angle,” Jack said. “I agree that it’s related to the Barber case. That’s what my gut instinct tells me, and it’s hardly ever wrong.”

“So we’re agreed on that,” I said. “Now, about getting together. I’m available all day tomorrow. If you don’t mind, why don’t you come here? In the afternoon we can go to the hospital to talk to Bill Delaney.” My children would be visiting their respective in-laws with their spouses tomorrow, so my usual Sunday family dinner was canceled. With Helen Louise busy at the bistro, Diesel and I would be on our own.

“That sounds good. I’d like to meet Delaney. Maybe between the two of us we can encourage him to trust us,” Jack said.

“Yes, whether he’s guilty or innocent, we need to get him talking to us,” I said.

“Would ten o’clock work for you?” Jack asked.

“That’s fine.” I gave him the address.

“I’ll e-mail you the files I have on the Barber case,” Jack said. “If you have time to look them over before tomorrow morning, that would be great.”

“No problem,” I said. “I’ve nothing else to do this evening.”

“Great,” Jack replied. “See you in the morning.” He ended the call.

I put my phone aside and gazed down at the dozing cat by my chair. “We’re going to have company tomorrow, Diesel. It’s going to be a busy day.” He roused long enough to offer a sleepy meow in acknowledgment before going back to his nap.

“Uh-oh,” I said as I suddenly realized something. With most of my usual cat-sitters otherwise occupied tomorrow, I had no one to keep an eye on Diesel while Jack and I went to the hospital. I couldn’t remember what Stewart might have told me about his and Haskell’s plans for tomorrow. If they weren’t going to be at home, I’d have to send Jack to the hospital by himself.

I picked up my phone to send a text to Stewart.

Hey there. Hope you’re enjoying your day. Are you and Haskell going to be home tomorrow morning?

I set the phone aside for the moment and got up to refill my water glass. That done, I looked through the fridge to see what my options were for dinner. Sandwich, salad, some hard-boiled eggs. No, I wanted a more substantial meal, although I probably should have gone with a couple hard-boiled eggs and salad. I opened the freezer to find one of Azalea’s casseroles and discovered only one left. Chicken and rice. I took it out and set it on the counter to thaw for an hour or so before I put it in the oven. Casserole plus salad would make a satisfying meal.

In the meantime I decided a small snack wouldn’t hurt, so I peeled a banana. Diesel knew I was eating so he perked up and became interested in my snack. I pinched off a piece of banana and gave it to him. Cats can’t taste sweet so fruit generally doesn’t interest them. Diesel sniffed at the banana for a moment, then he gulped it down. He looked up at me, obviously wanting more. I gave him one more small piece and ate the rest of the banana myself. I sometimes thought the fact that I shared my food with him was more important than the taste of the food itself.

I discarded the banana peel and washed my hands. I had barely finished drying my hands when my phone emitted the new text alert sound. I read Stewart’s response to my message. Evidently Haskell was on duty tomorrow, so Stewart was planning to spend the day at home. I texted back to ask if he would mind babysitting Diesel for a while, and he quickly responded that he’d be happy to. After a quick Thanks back, I put the phone in my pocket.

“Come on, Diesel, let’s go to the den,” I said. “Time to check e-mail.” He ambled along beside me as we left the kitchen.

A few minutes later we were comfortably settled on the sofa in the den. Diesel lay stretched out beside me, his head against my leg. I had the laptop open, waiting for my e-mail to finish loading. The process was taking a little longer than usual because Jack had evidently sent me several large files.

Finally the last of them loaded, and I opened the one that had arrived first. Jack had written a brief explanation of the contents of the file, in this case scans of all the newspaper articles he had been able to find about the Barber case. I opened the file and discovered that there were nearly sixty pages of scans. If the other files were this big, I would do well to read them all and digest the information before our meeting tomorrow.

I heard a beep that alerted me to a new incoming message. From Jack again, this time marked with a red exclamation point, denoting that it was sent with high importance. I opened it to find out what was so urgent.

Managed to track down Elizabeth Barber’s best friend from high school. Girl she spent the night with the night her parents and siblings were murdered. Turns out she’s a doctor and lives in Athena. Leann Finch. Know her?