Next Harry called Liz Filmore, since she knew that Liz was close to Terri. She recounted the guinea-hen episode and her thoughts on the topic. She asked Liz if she knew what was up.
Shes got a lot of inventory sitting in the shop, she broke up with her boyfriend, and shes worried about her position as head of alumnae in Charlottesville. Why, I dont know. Liz took a breath. But thats Terri. She lives to worry.
Thought you liked her.
I do came the swift reply. She has her immature moments
Harry interrupted, something she rarely did, as it was rude. Immature, hell.
Now, Harry. Shes more emotional than you are, and you dont get it. But her fund-raising skills are good. Shell get even better over time. Shes a businesswoman. She knows how to approach other businesswomen. Shes raised five thousand-some dollars out of a small community of alumnae by her own hard work the year before Tallys celebration. Thats impressive. Shes always eager to learn. Liz took a deep breath. Its possible shes drinking too much or, her voice rose,
taking drugs. But I havent seen anything to make me worry. I dont know.
Ill take your word for it. Harry hoped she didnt sound as sarcastic as she felt.
A note of anxiety crept into Lizs voice. You arent going to talk to a lot of people about this, are you?
Liz, what do you take me for? Harry felt indignant.
Sorry, but well
Im not a gossip. Harry paused. I reckon Id best steer clear of her store.
For a little while. Ill talk to her. We get along, and as I said, I like her but I see a side of her you dont.
You okay?
Me? Im worried, but Im okay. Liz knew Harry was referring to the board murders.
That was good of you to visit Aunt Tally and Inez this morning. I know you all had business to do, but given the alum murders, you needed to be with one another.
Harry felt much better after hanging up the phone. The sleet had passed, and the temperature was dropping rapidly now.
Grumbling, Harry figured shed better get the evening barn chores done right away, in case it worsened.
Later, when Fair and Inez returned, the aroma of roasting chicken filled the air. While she finished making supper, Harry filled them in on the days events and her conversations.
Over the meal of roast chicken, crisp baby potatoes, and a light salad, they talked of her day and of their day, which was better than Harrys.
That night, the sleet stopped and the temperature was in the low thirties. The cats and dog awakened at 3:30 A.M. The sound of a car motor came right up to the house; a door opened.
Intruder!
Tucker set up a ruckus.
The back porch door opened and shut, then the car door slammed and the vehicle drove off.
Mrs. Murphy jumped to the window over the kitchen sink.
Same car I saw the other night, Im pretty sure.
Fearing for Inez, Fair, who had been awakened by Tucker, bounded down the stairs, his robe around him. Harry was right behind.
Harry, stay back, he ordered.
He opened the door to the porch and turned on the lights. Hed forgotten the .38 in his haste, but Harry hadnt. She stood behind him. Inez, also wide awake, came into the kitchen.
Fair stopped to pick up a large porcelain guinea hen. He came back into the kitchen and placed it on the kitchen table.
A note was attached.
Harry opened it and read aloud: Sorry.
W
hat should I do? Harry asked her husband and Inez.
Write a thank-you, and leave it at that. Inez raised her gray eyebrows.
None of them could go back to sleep, except Pewter. It was now 4:30 A.M. on Tuesday, April 14. The sleet had started up again, almost like a fine, sharp drizzle.
And dont go into the shop, Inez advised. Shes not very stable and might lose it again.
Right. Harry took a deep drink from her teacup. I guess she was ashamed to see me. It sure is weird to drive out to someones house in the middle of the night and leave a present.
People on drugs are weird. Bet it didnt seem weird to her. Fair figured at this point Terri was off her nut.
Maybe I should tell Liz. Shes a friend.
That will just keep the ball rolling, Fair said.
Well, I talked to her yesterday. Maybe she told Terri to apologize.
Harry, why did you do that? Fair leaned toward his wife.
Well, Harry held her cup in both hands. Liz knows Terri well. I thought she might know why Terris acting so strange.
What did she say? Inez figured it was too late to chide Harry for calling.
Just that Terris the emotional sort and she recently broke up with
her boyfriend. Anyway, shes worried about money. Theres a lot of stuff sitting in the shop. Guess I set her off by not buying one of those hens.
Honey, youre not obligated to buy anything.
I know.
Fair leaned back in his chair. For all we know, Liz is on drugs, too. Its like a forbidden club. Druggies protect one another.
Harry thought about that. Liz was drunk at the William Woods party for Aunt Tally.
Inez pursed her lips. No, shes stable. The only time I saw her tipsy was at Tallys do. I think shes okay.
Fair, knowing his wife well, asked, Harry, who else did you speak to about Terris behavior?
Harry took a deep breath. Garvey. Hes right next door. I asked if unlikely customers came in to the store. Like young men.
And? Inez leaned forward.
He said there had been a steady trickle of customers who he was surprised would be interested in imported French dinnerware. I didnt see the harm in it, she added defensively.
Garvey can talk, Fair groaned.
All right, I gossiped, but in the name of gathering information.
The corner of Inezs lip curled upward in a half smile. Harry, you can put your nose in other peoples business.
I know, I know. Look, it was a big scene, but by telling Garvey and Liz, I really was trying to find out if Terri is using or dealing. Best to steer clear of those people, especially if they wont go for help.
Lets talk about something else besides Terri Kincaid. None of us is going back to sleep. Fair was getting irritated.
Little did Fair know that, within two hours, Terri Kincaid would be all anyone was talking about.
G
arvey Watson kept it slow as he drove through the reluctant dawn to his store at six-thirty. At times, a swirl of fog surrounded him. The fine sleet had turned into a light, steady rain. Usually he took the back road from his house, which had been in the Watson family since before the War Between the States. The Watsons had been free blacks since the early 1700s. The dirt road that went past the farm looped around, and he could connect where Routes 240 and 250 converged. However, there were a lot of spots on that road that could fool you. Waters ran swiftly over it if the creek rose. Even when the creek subsided and the waters were calm, if one was foolish enough to drive through, the waters would be halfway up the car door before you knew it.
He peered over his steering wheel, keeping his lights low. All high beams did was bounce off the fog. As the rain commenced again, the windshield wipers stepped up tempo. Garvey loved cars, but he wasnt so much in love with driving by computer. Hed just bought a new Jaguar XFR, the first one to make the dealers lot in Richmond. The 510-horsepower engine thrilled him, while the complicated touch-screen display drove him nuts. The wood and leather in the interior screamed Great Britain, and clearly that was where Garveys taste rested, as evidenced by the high-quality merchandise carried at his store. He even included the classic Fred Perry shirts, not the Ralph Lauren Polo shirts derived from them. He also carried authentic