Chapter 28
Twenty-Eight
brEATHE
Meanwhile, Goldie sat in one of the two chairs in front of Eli’s desk at the sheriff’s office, reading over a statement he had just typed up. Finishing, then nodding, she picked up a pen on the desk, signed it, and handed it to the sheriff.
“You misspelled ‘tunnel’ once, but other than that, it looks good.”
“T-h-a-n-x,” he spelled out. “You did a heck of an investigating job, Goldie: getting color pictures of the paint scratch, figuring out what was happening over on Falcon Drive, Jason Shirk being poisoned—everything!”
“You’re not so bad yourself,” she said, returning the compliment. “Knowin’ the paint Tully used to cover the scratch was new, convincin’ Father Fitz to tell you everything I told him, then gettin’ to my room early this mornin’ and findin’ that note.”
“After talking with Father, I wanted to get to your room at first light because I was afraid you were going to do something dangerous.”
She took a tissue out of her purse and disposed of her gum. “And see? I didn’t disappoint.”
He looked down at the floor self-consciously. “Banyan hired me because he thought I’d be a pushover, didn’t he?”
“It doesn’t matter, copper,” she replied, tossing her tissue and gum into a wastepaper basket. “You weren’t.”
“I-uh… I’m sorry you didn’t feel you could trust me.”
“It wasn’t you personally. It’s cops in general. I’ve, eh, I’ve sorta been conditioned to think they were the enemy unless they were on the payroll.”
He paused, looking at her.
“You want to explain that?”
“It’s a long story. Then, when I saw you, Tully, and Crosby at the tree lightin’ ceremony…”
He shrugged. “Banyan just told them to help me with the barricades because of my leg.”
“Yeah,” she admitted. “I read too much into that one. I’m sorry. So, what happens now?”
He leaned back in his chair, feeling the weight of his duties.
“I’ve got to have a tough conversation with Stephie Banyan, the city council has to be called for an emergency session, statements need to be taken from the McCaw Brothers, and I have to figure out who to call about retrieving Crosby’s body.
I’m not even sure it can be retrieved. I also want to keep up with Harriette Noise’s kids about her condition.
They’re meeting Clara and Chad at the hospital. ”
“You think she’ll be okay?” Goldie asked, concerned.
“Don’t know. I don’t know what she was given, and Banyan isn’t talking until he sees a lawyer. She’s in her eighties, so it’s anyone’s guess.”
“Give me one minute alone with either Charles or Peter,” she said. “I’ll find out what was given to her.”
“I said the exact same thing to the state police,” he replied. “You’ve done enough. What’re you going to do about your article?”
“I’m filing two pieces. One for the AP about Charles and Peter, and the other is exactly what you’d expect for Adventure Escape.
The AP story will probably be co-authored by a true investigative journalist my boss knows, while my article for the magazine won’t come out until next year’s December issue.
By then, the stink from the Banyans will have worn off, and you’ll have a nice, positive story.
At the end of the day, Sparkledove really is the perfect place for Christmas. ”
He rose from his chair. “I’d better get over to Stephie’s before she hears things through the gossips, if she hasn’t already.”
“Her whole life changed this morning,” Goldie acknowledged. “I know somethin’ about that. Let me know if I can help.”
“I want to revisit what you said about your distrust of law enforcement officers,” he reminded. “You said it was a long story. Despite what happened today—I’ll make time to hear it.”
She shook her head. “I gotta make arrangements to go back to Columbus. I think I’ve done what I’m supposed to do here.”
“Stay through the weekend,” he suggested.
“The Tour of Homes is really nice and, if you really want to help, like, talk with Stephie Banyan or Martha Eggleston, you can’t do it if you’re gone.
Take some time to wrap things up and say goodbye to the friends you’ve made.
You might be surprised just how well-liked you are. ”
She looked at him and smiled a little. “Maybe I will. There are still a couple of mysteries about this town that I haven’t figured out, and—”
“Goldie,” he interrupted. “Stand down. Breathe. Go hiking in the mountains, make a snowman, Christmas shop, or just go down to Miller’s, sit in front of the stove, and chew the fat with Deke.”
She considered for a moment that if she went to Columbus, it would be an existence totally unknown to her.
What new questions, problems, and strangeness would she encounter?
Maybe it was because she had gotten so little sleep the night before, but she was tired.
She wanted to relax. As Eli had suggested, she simply wanted to breathe.