This Old Murder

THREE

JOSIE HAD MET Sam Richardson when he retired from his job as a prosecuting attorney in New York City and moved to the island to begin his new life as owner-manager of an upscale liquor store. That had been three years earlier. Most of the time she was wildly in love with him. And other times she wondered why they even bothered to speak to each other. This was one of those times.

Sam had just admitted to being a fan of the Courtney Castle show.

“If I was still living in my New York apartment, I wouldn’t even have glanced at those building shows, but we’ve done so much work on my house, and I’ve even gotten an idea or two from watching them. In fact, those indents in the shower walls, the ones we’re going to redo when Island Contracting has some free time, were an idea I got from watching Courtney.”

“The idea isn’t original with her. Half the decorating magazines have been featuring them for years,” Josie said sullenly. Sam was almost twenty years older than she was and certainly more educated and experienced. Building and remodeling was the one-and only-area where she was the expert. It wasn’t as though she was competitive, but still…

They were sitting in a booth at one of Basil Tilby’s restaurants that had opened near the end of last year’s season. A good friend, Basil had hired Island Contracting to remodel the place. Josie had come there expecting Sam to spend at least some of the meal admiring her work-and not spend any time talking about another woman.

“I’ve never seen the show,” she admitted.

“Josie, you should. You’re going to be working with this woman for the next few weeks. It’s on tonight at nine-thirty. We’ll skip dessert and go over to my house to watch it. I have a few pints of Ben and Jerry’s in the freezer,” he added when she didn’t answer.

“I wasn’t worried about missing dessert,” she protested, somewhat dishonestly. “I was just thinking about Tyler. I told him he had to be home by ten-thirty, so I’d better be home to make sure he remembers.”

“Josie, Tyler is a responsible kid-”

“Sam, he’s sixteen years old.”

“He does just fine away at school.”

“Where there is a huge staff to keep an eye on the kids. And it’s not just that. There’s a lot to keep him busy at school. Tyler belongs to all sorts of clubs, he has to participate in a team sport each season, and he has piles of homework.”

“Are you saying idle hands are the devil’s playground?”

“Something like that. Tyler spent yesterday in his room in front of that damn computer.”

“So?”

“I don’t know. You hear so much about bad things on the computer. Sex and all…”

“Josie, he probably checked out the sex available in cyberspace years and years ago.”

“I know. I just worry.” She took a deep breath. “The truth is, I’m afraid I’m boring him. That he’s happier at school than he is at home.”

“He sure looked happy at my house Sunday afternoon.”

“He was stuffing his face with junk food. Of course he was happy. But unless you’re going to spend the entire summer on your deck grilling hot dogs for him, he’s going to need a bit more to stay busy.”

“Well, once he starts working…”

Josie leaned forward so quickly that she almost tipped over her glass of wine. “You know something, don’t you? You two were in the kitchen for a long time. Where has he applied for work? What does he want to do this summer?”

“He hasn’t just applied for a job. He’s got one. But I think you should wait for him to tell you about it.”

“I… Why…” Josie was rarely speechless and then it didn’t last for long. “My son has a job and he hasn’t even mentioned it to me! What’s going on, Sam?”

“Josie, he just wants you to see his point… to get to know… to understand…” Sam stopped and took an un-characteristically loud gulp of the wine he had carefully chosen. “I’m blowing this for Tyler, Josie, and I hate to do that. I promised him I would help prepare you.”

“For what? Why would I have to be prepared for any job Tyler would take?”

“Now don’t start imagining all sorts of horrors.”

“I won’t have to imagine anything if you tell me what’s going on.”

“Look, it’s a great job for Tyler. He knows a lot about… well, about the subject. He’ll get to be around people. The pay is good-”

“It’s off island, isn’t it? My son isn’t even going to spend the summer with me! That’s it, isn’t it, Sam?”

“No, it isn’t. Now, see, you’re doing exactly what I thought you would. You’re imagining problems that just are not going to happen.”

“Sam…”

“Josie, I’ll tell you, but you must listen to everything I have to say before going nuts.”

“Just as long as I can go nuts when you’re done.”

“I really think you won’t want to when you hear what I have to say. Tyler got a job at Family Video.”

“But, Sam, that’s wonderful! He’ll be able to ride his bike to work and he’ll be just a few blocks away from you, so when it rains maybe you’ll be able to drive him home. Why did either of you think I’d object to him working there? I’ll even be able to see him in the evening when we drop in to pick out a video- Oh, no!” she cried, realization dawning. “It’s a night job, isn’t it? He wants to work the night shift.”

“Josie, we’re not talking about overnight in a ghetto convenience store. Tyler has been asked to work three full days and three evenings a week. The evening shift runs from three to midnight with an hour off for dinner.”

“Midnight! Why midnight? The store’s only open until eleven.”

“I asked the same question. Apparently there’s a lot to do after the customers leave. Tapes to check in. Shelves to clean up.”

“He can’t do it. He can work days, but not the evening shift.”

“I suggested that, too, but the store’s policy is that no one gets preference. If you work there days, you work there evenings. But, Josie, it’s not as though he’s going to be miles away from home. And he’s not going to be hanging out on street corners, for heaven’s sake. He’s going to be working.”

“But it’s at night, Sam!”

“Look, I didn’t say anything to Tyler, but I have to admit I think he’s right about this. What difference does it make if he’s home by ten-thirty or twelve-thirty as long as you know where he is, what he’s doing, and that he’s safe? If he were home, he’d probably be sitting in front of his computer or watching TV. In any case, you’ll be in bed. So what difference could it possibly make to you if he’s at the video store instead of in your living room or his bedroom?”

“I just like him to be home before I go to bed. I know it doesn’t make any sense, but it makes me feel better knowing he’s around.”

“Then why did you send him to boarding school?”

“Because he’s so smart he was ahead of most of the teachers on the island. When Noel’s will was read and I found that he had not only left me Island Contracting but had put aside enough money for Tyler to go to boarding school, I was incredibly relieved. It’s important that he get a good education. But I miss him! And that’s part of the reason I like him to be home in the summer. He only gets short vacations the rest of the year. And if he’s working nights, he’ll end up sleeping all morning. We’ll hardly see each other. Besides, I don’t like him riding his bike late at night. The bars will be closing and there will be drunks on the road.”

Sam refilled their glasses thoughtfully. “Look, I didn’t mean to get involved in this, but since I am, let me suggest a compromise.”

“Go ahead.”

“What if you let Tyler take this job-with two conditions,” he added quickly. “First that he’ll get up in the morning and see you before he goes to work if at all possible whether he worked late the night before or not.”

“Not a chance! Do you have any idea how long it takes a teenage boy to get out of bed in the morning? I won’t make it to work on time.”

“He has to agree to set his alarm and get himself up. Okay?”

“Well, maybe. What’s the second condition?”

“He agrees to allow me to drive him home on the nights he works. That will mean he has to either get a ride to the store earlier or walk, but for a kid who’s been on a track team all spring, that won’t be a hardship.”

“You’ll drive him home? Really?”

“I just said I would.”

“Oh, Sam, that’s so sweet of you!”

“So you agree?”

“If he agrees to everything you suggested, how can I complain?”

Their waitress placed a huge platter of antipasti on the table between them.

“Perfect timing,” Sam said, spearing a long strip of roasted pepper and popping it in his mouth.

“Can I bring you anything else?”

“Maybe some Pellegrino,” Sam suggested.

“Fine. And I’ll tell the chef to start your risotto in about ten minutes, shall I?”

“Excellent.”

Josie was too busy digging into the pickled eggplant to reply.

“So what’s this Courtney Castle like in person?” Sam asked.

Josie realized he was changing the topic and hoping for a comparable change in her mood. But he’d sure asked the wrong question.

“Why is everyone so interested in Courtney Castle? It’s almost as if she’s a sex symbol rather than a carpenter.” The truth suddenly dawned on her. “She is, isn’t she?”

“Sexy? Yes, in a wholesome all-American-girl sort of way,” Sam admitted. “She has gorgeous hair.”

“So she’s young?”

“To me she is. I’d guess she’s around your age actually.”

“Do you think she ended up having a show of her own because of her looks?”

“I have no idea. But there aren’t a lot of unattractive people on television,” Sam said. “After all, if you’re designing a show, you want people to watch, and most people would prefer to watch good-looking personalities.

“Josie, why did you agree to do the show? You keep saying that it will be good publicity for Island Contracting, but you have lots of work. And unless you’re planning to work off island, most of the people watching will never hire you no matter how good you all look.”

“I know that. But I was flattered to be asked and, frankly, it had a lot to do with Tyler.”

“Did you think they might hire him?” Sam asked, obviously mystified.

“I never even considered it.” Josie sighed and turned her attention to the platter of food they were sharing. “I thought it would bring status to Island Contracting. Well, to me, actually. I thought all those rich people who send their kids to Tyler ’s school would watch and they wouldn’t think of me as just a carpenter anymore.” She looked up at him, a blush spreading over her cheeks. “Stupid, huh?”

“Not really.” Sam spoke slowly. “Have you gotten the impression that some of his classmate’s parents look down on you? Has Tyler said something?”

“To tell the truth, no. I worried a lot about that happening when he started there, but it hasn’t been a serious problem. I’m sure there are some snotty kids, but the school has a huge scholarship fund, so there are some kids who have all their expenses paid. Besides, it’s a place that values intelligence and creativity. And, of course, Tyler excels in those areas.”

“But you said-”

“I know. The problem is me, Sam. I go to things at school and I feel like… an employee of his friends’ parents. Everyone is very nice,” she continued before he could say anything, “but they ask questions about remodeling their homes as though I couldn’t possibly have anything else to talk about. Not that I could contribute to conversations about vacations in St. Bart’s or flying to Paris for the spring shows. I just thought that this would improve my image, if you understand what I mean.”

“You’re looking for status conferral,” Sam said. He didn’t remind her that if she had accepted one of his many offers of marriage, she could afford to see a bit more of the world.

“I guess. I sort of figured that these people watched public television and they would think more of me for being on it.”

“And it might work. But you just might find out that these people are watching The Simpsons instead of Masterpiece Theatre.”

Josie grinned. “I suppose.” She hesitated, then continued. “Do you think I’m being stupid?”

“No, you see a problem and when an opportunity comes up to do something about it, you act. I think you’re being smart. But…”

Josie didn’t even have time to enjoy his compliment. “What? What but?”

“You’ve never watched Courtney.”

“That’s what I was telling you… Why?”

“I don’t want to prejudice you. Let’s finish up here and go home and watch. Then you can tell me what you think.”

Their risotto had arrived, but Josie discovered that she’d lost her appetite.

Josie’s bowl of ice cream was melting on the coffee table. She hadn’t said a word while the show was on. She hadn’t said a word in the nine minutes since it ended. Sam had been waiting patiently-until now.

“I’m going to get another bowl of ice cream. Would you like another one? Or maybe a glass of brandy or something?”

“No, I’m fine.” She was silent for a few minutes longer. “She really is pretty, isn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“You know, she reminds me of someone. I can’t figure out who-”

“You’ve probably seen her photograph in a magazine or a newspaper. So she seems familiar.”

“I suppose that’s it. She has awfully long-and clean- fingernails for a carpenter.”

“Perhaps they’re fake. Or maybe she just had a manicure.”

Josie remembered the equipment she had seen in the van that afternoon and decided he could be right.

“What did you think?” Sam finally asked.

“I think I may have made a mistake. Courtney is the star of that show and the house is the costar. I don’t see how being on it is going to help Island Contracting.” Or me.

But she didn’t say the last two words aloud.