Chapter 11
“Hang on. Let me find the news station.” Liz continued flipping through the channels until she found the Channel 5 news report. “The meteorologist is reporting on the weather. We’re in for a light dusting of snow in the morning, which will be perfect for the hunters. Who needs to worry about snow when my house is on television for all the wrong reasons?”
“Patience,” Gloria said. “They did a teaser clip at the beginning of the show with a promise of a more in-depth story near the end. I see it coming on now.”
“Me too.” Liz turned the volume up.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is Brandi Zondervan. I’m standing in front of the Green Springs Regional Airport where Tristan Keller, a local real estate investor, flew his private plane out of here early this morning, only to have it shot down a short time later. According to what we’ve been told, Mr. Keller was surveying the property when someone fired at least one shot. It hit his plane, causing the crash.”
The scene switched from the airport to an overview of Ivan Gregware’s field. The camera zoomed in on the spot Liz and the others suspected was where the plane had gone down.
“We’ve also learned Mr. Keller survived the crash. Although he sustained injuries, he’s expected to make a full recovery.”
The evening anchor chimed in. “I have to admit, I was stunned when I heard the report, Brandi. Do the authorities believe a hunter’s stray bullet may have been involved?”
Brandi nodded. “It’s possible, Kevin. They’re not ruling anything out. Mr. Keller has been cooperating with authorities who seem certain they’ll be able to track down the person responsible.”
The anchor began shuffling papers, a grim expression on his face. “Where exactly did the incident occur?”
“This is where it gets interesting.” Brandi tightened her grip on the microphone. “Mr. Keller planned to purchase a vacant farm and property on Cash Creek Road in Green Springs, which is where the incident occurred.”
A clip of Liz and Floyd’s home appeared, obscured in part by the trees lining their driveway. “The property was eventually purchased by Floyd Rasmussen.”
“Floyd Rasmussen,” the station’s anchor repeated. “Wasn’t there another incident involving the Rasmussen family?”
“There was. The matriarch, Doris Rasmussen, was murdered some years back by a member of her own family.”
“It appears the Rasmussens have had some very bad luck,” Zondervan said.
“They most certainly have. One would hope this incident doesn’t directly involve them.”
“Absolutely.” Brandi Zondervan told viewers she chatted briefly with Keller from his hospital bed. “He’s determined to get to the bottom of what happened. I can tell you from my conversation with him, he will do precisely that.”
The segment ended, and the station began reporting on local sports. “Well, I hope Keller is able to figure out who shot his plane down. All I know is it wasn’t Floyd or me.”
“But they put a seed of suspicion in viewers’ minds,” Gloria said.
“Reminding them how Doris Rasmussen was murdered by someone in her own family.”
“The past has a way of coming back to haunt you.”
“And the Rasmussen family in particular,” Liz muttered. “Maybe Keller hired someone to shoot the plane down so he could blame it on Floyd, sue us and try to get the property.”
“I suppose it’s possible. You heard the report. He was injured but should recover.”
“Which seems pretty convenient, if you ask me.” Liz paced. “Think about it. He’s flying over our place at all hours, day after day. Keller is flying low…too low. What if he got some crazy idea to have someone take his plane down and make it look like we did it so he could sue us?”
“You and Floyd have a lot of money,” Gloria said.
“Not to mention the Rasmussen family has a reputation.”
“Stranger things have happened. It looks like we need to add Tristan Keller to the list of suspects.”
“Tristan Keller, Ivan Gregware, my neighbor, Christi.”
“Christi?”
“They have guns. She was as annoyed as we were about Keller’s flyovers. She might not have a strong motive, but she definitely had opportunity,” Liz said. “We also have to consider Echo.”
“Have you noticed if there are tomatoes on top of your roof?”
“That’s a good question. Let me go check.” Liz slipped her shoes and jacket on and circled around to the front of the house. “It’s hard to tell. Will the acid in tomatoes eat away at our shingles?”
She answered her own question. “Keller would have had to bombard our roof with tomatoes to do damage.”
“Which means it would be much easier to target Echo’s place. Maybe Keller thinks you have family living there and decided to go after them.”
“I’m glad he’s going to be okay, but it doesn’t make him any less of a jerk,” Liz fumed. “I guess the report confirms what airport we’ll be dropping by tomorrow morning.”
“Green Springs Regional Airport,” Gloria said. “The sooner, the better. Like I said, Keller could potentially turn into an even bigger pain in the neck.”
“He had better watch it. I’m in no mood for his antics.”
“I don’t blame you. Something tells me Keller has met his match if he tangles with Liz Applegate Rasmussen.”
“You know it.” Liz watched as Floyd crested the hill on his way home from Echo’s place. “I gotta go. Floyd is on his way back from chatting with Echo.”
“See you at Dot’s at nine.”
Liz ended the call and caught up with her husband near the back porch. “Well? What did Echo say about the target practice?”
“She said the setup has been sitting out there since early fall and she hardly ever uses it,” Floyd said. “I believe her, but…”
“But what?”
“She got defensive, making a big deal about how she should be able to do what she wants on her property.”
“Hmmm. She’s a pretty mellow tenant. Maybe she’s just having a bad day. Nobody wants to get woken up by an annoying plane buzzing over and having the pilot scare your dog while he tosses tomatoes out the window.”
“I wholeheartedly agree.” Floyd flung his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “It’s been a long day. I know one thing for sure.”
“What’s that?”
“Keller won’t be flying over our house tonight or first thing tomorrow morning, which means we might actually get a good night’s sleep.”
*****
Liz was the last to arrive at Dot’s Restaurant, bleary-eyed and in need of another cup of coffee.
Gloria scooched to the side to make room for her sister at the table. “What happened to you? Did you have a late night of partying at the farm?”
“No. Floyd and I overslept. We didn’t have a nuisance plane flying overhead and were able to get a good night’s sleep.” Liz dropped her purse on the floor. “It was wonderful.”
“I bet,” Ruth said. “We were talking about last night’s news report on Keller’s plane crash. The guy isn’t going to leave you alone.”
“If anything, it will give him even more of an excuse to harass us.” Liz tapped Ruth’s arm. “Do you have anything in your surveillance arsenal capable of covering a wide swath of property?”
“Like a panoramic angle?” Ruth asked.
“Precisely, say from the back corner of our house, across the driveway and maybe to the other side of the mailbox?”
“As a matter of fact, I might have the ideal gadget.” Ruth grabbed her cell phone, turned it on, and tapped the screen. “I’m trying to get ahead of the Christmas season, and created the 2.0 version of Cornelius, the nutcracker. You can’t tell from this still photo, but his eyes move. This new version can follow moving objects.”
“How much will this set me back?” Liz waved dismissively. “Never mind. Price isn’t an issue. Do you have one available?”
“I have an extra at home. I’ll have to help you set it up.”
“How soon?”
“It will take a couple of days. I need to make sure it’s ready to roll first.”
“Sweet.” Liz’s eyes lit. “It’s a deal. The sooner, the better.”
The server arrived, dropping off drinks and jotting down orders. During breakfast, Liz and Gloria took turns sharing the recent developments with the others.
Lucy sipped her coffee, eyeing Liz over the rim of her cup. “Do you think Echo would take a shot at Keller’s plane?”
“Being sleep deprived and furious that the man had scared Teddy, not to mention throwing rotting vegetables and making a mess? I wouldn’t rule myself out if I didn’t know I wasn’t behind it.”
“True,” Margaret said. “I wonder about Keller.”
“Wonder about Keller?” Dot repeated.
“If maybe he’s a little.” Margaret twirled her finger next to her forehead. “Cuckoo.”
“Cuckoo enough to take his own plane down?” Gloria asked. “Liz and I were thinking the same.”
Lucy snapped her fingers. “To make it appear Floyd and Liz were behind it so he could go after them.”
“Bingo.”
“Ivan Gregware claims Keller was after his property too. It’s almost as if he’s obsessed with the farms.”
“For good reason.” Gloria rubbed her fingers against her thumb. “Money.”
“We have plenty coming in from the gas…minerals…whatever they are,” Liz said.
“I think it’s going to take all we have to crack the case on this one.” Dot reached for a donut.
“I’m beginning to think the same thing,” Gloria said. “Especially if Keller was the one behind the shooting.”
Ruth’s phone chimed. She looked at the screen and did a double take.
“Who is it?” Gloria leaned in.
“Eleanor. She just drove by Dot’s and noticed our cars parked out front. She said she saw Liz’s place on the news and thinks she might have some information for us.”
“Information?” Liz perked up.
“Eleanor knows a lot of people,” Gloria said. “If she says she has a lead, we need to hear what it is.”
“Is she still dating Milton Tilton?”
“Yeah. She calls him her forever steady,” Margaret said. “Milton wants to get married. Eleanor keeps putting him off.”
“I think Eleanor is reverse aging. Instead of getting older, she keeps getting younger,” Lucy joked. “I wish I had half her energy. I think I see her.”
A flash of neon purple streaked past Dot’s front window. The door flew open and a vision of purple, lace, and tulle appeared.
Liz’s eyes narrowed. “What in the world?”