Running flat out, she skidded to a stop, her hind end whirling around, leaving a semicircle in the grass. “Cheaters!”
“You were asleep.”
“I was not. I was resting my eyes.”
“Sure.” Pewter viewed the steep bank with zero enthusiasm, but vaulted over.
Archie Ingram's U-Haul was parked next to the divine Porsche.
The animals inspected it thoroughly, then Murphy bounded onto the Porsche, leaving delicate paw prints on the hood and roof.
“Babe magnet.” She leaned over from the roof and stared inside at the luscious leather.
“He hardly needs that.” Tucker sniffed the tires. “He's been over to Little Mim's. That ridiculous Brittany spaniel of hers has marked it.”
“You can't stand him because he's perfectly groomed.”
“Murphy, that's silly.” Tucker turned her back on the cat and walked to the house.
“You can't go in there without us.” Pewter fell in next to the dog.
“Don't go in,” Murphy commanded as she carefully slid off the car.
“Why not?”
“We'll interrupt them.”
“They won't pay any attention to us. Blair will open the door, feed us something, and then go back to whatever he was doing.” Pewter pulled open his back porch door, which was easy since it was warped.
“The truth comes out.” Murphy whapped her paw from the door. “Listen to me. Don't you find it odd that Archie Ingram has pulled into Blair's driveway with a U-Haul? You and I should climb up in the tree. We can see everything—the windows are open.”
“You climb in the tree. I'm sitting on the kitchen windowsill.” Pewter walked to the window and jumped up on the sill.
If there hadn't been a screen in the window she would have vaulted into the kitchen.
“What about me?”
“Tucker, I'll open the door for you a crack. Lie down with your nose in the door. You can see and hear everything that way. If they notice you, act glad to see them and go right in. I'm staying in the tree.”
Pewter watched as Blair brewed coffee. His top-of-the-line machine cost more than the industrial Bunn at Market's store. A pint of cream sat on the counter next to it. Archie was slumped in a chair at the table, his head resting in one hand.
“Come on, Arch, this will start your motor again.”
Archie sighed, toying with his cup. “Yeah.”
“Will you snap out of it? She didn't shoot you. She isn't running around town telling tales.” He handed him the cream. “You're being given a vacation to sort things out.”
“Yeah.” He drank some coffee.
“Good?”
“Yeah.”
“Dazzle me, Arch. Vary your vocabulary. How about ‘Yes'?”
The corner of Archie's mouth curved up. “Yes.” He drank more coffee.
“If this doesn't enliven you we'll have to look for cocaine,” Blair joked.
“People are saying that's why Tommy was killed. That you and Van Allen bring in cocaine in the hubcaps of your Porsches.”
“People will say anything.”
Archie shrugged. “You use it?”
“I have in the past. I don't now.”
“Get you in trouble?”
“No.” Blair sat across from him. “I saw it get a lot of other people in trouble and figured I'd quit while I was ahead.”
“Aileen wants me to resign my seat on the county commission.”
“Not a good idea.” Blair drained his cup, rose to pour another.
“H. would shoot me.” Archie laughed a dry laugh. “That damned Sarah is screaming all over the county that I shot H. Christ, I wouldn't shoot him. Strangle him, maybe, but not shoot him.”
“What went down between you two? One minute you were—”
Archie slapped the table with his open palm, startling Blair and the watching animals. “I got sick of taking his shit. Who was taking all the risks? Me! Whatever I did wasn't enough. He wanted to know more and he wanted it yesterday. Damn, how many times can I run up and down the road to Richmond?”
“Our peer of the realm likes to give orders.” Blair checked the time on the old railroad clock on the wall, a duplicate of the one in the post office. It was six-thirty.
“If my involvement comes out, I'm down the tubes.”
“Don't be so dramatic,” Blair admonished him. “The law is murky in this area. Someone would have to prove that you abused your office for personal gain. Furthermore, the information you passed on to us concerning road development is public knowledge.”
“The timetable is not public knowledge.”
“Yes, it is.”
“The real timetable,” Archie shot back, in no mood for Blair's rebuke.
“So? It would have to be proved. Archie, for chrissake, you knew what you were getting into. Information is bought and sold every day in every profession. If you're smart enough to get on the inside track, you win.” Blair, leaning against his refrigerator, shoved his hands into his back pockets. “We're almost finished with our buying. All that's left is the Catlett property. But even without it, we're in good shape. After that, Arch, it's all over but the shouting.”
“It's the shouting I'm worried about.”
“Toughen up. Are you hungry?”
“I've lost my appetite.”
“I haven't,” Pewter called from the windowsill.
“You ditz!” Murphy would have boxed her ears if she could. Pewter had no restraint.
The cat's meow startled the two men.
Blair laughed. “Pewter, you shameless eavesdropper.”
Tucker pushed open the door, waltzing in. “Hi.”
“Wonder if Harry's around?” Archie rose, walking outside to check. He came back in. “No, but I hear her on the tractor.”
“That thing is a museum piece.” Blair put out cream for Pewter and gave Tucker stale bread he'd been saving for the birds.
Furious, Mrs. Murphy backed down the tree, practically vaulting into the kitchen.
“Idiots!”
“Party pooper.” Pewter licked her lips; a drop of cream dribbled from her chin.
The aroma of rich cream overcame Murphy's scruples. She hopped up next to Pewter.
“Full house.” Blair scratched the base of Mrs. Murphy's tail.
“Damn cat.” Archie, eyes squinting, glared at Murphy.
“She had a big time at the meeting.” Blair laughed.
Archie held on to his coffee cup with both hands as though it might fly away. “Do you think Sarah cheats on H.?”
Blair raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn't know.”
“Ridley said she was going at it with Tommy.” Archie, cunning, did not divulge that Ridley also told him Sarah had slept with Blair.
“Was Ridley drunk or sober?”
“Sober.”
“I don't know.” He did know, of course, because Tommy had told him about the affair, but Blair had given his word not to repeat it. “Sex gets us all into trouble.”
The phone rang. Blair picked it up. “Hello.” Then he covered the mouthpiece. “H. Vane.”
Archie got up and put his ear to the receiver. Murphy joined them. Archie pushed her away but she was persistent.
“Blair, I'd like to have a meeting with you and Archie tomorrow at three. Can you make it?”
“Yes.”
“What about Arch? I know he's with you. He drove past the post office and people saw you run out. You know how small this town is.”
“He'll be there.”
Archie grabbed the phone. “I'll be there.”
“Did you shoot me?”
“No.”
“I didn't think so.”
“Where's Sarah? I can't believe she'd let you call me after the stuff she's saying.”
“She drove down to the market. The way she drives, that will take two minutes. I figured I'd call while I could.”