As he did so, I remembered there was another potential suspect, one I had forgotten about till now. “What about Brent Tucker? He could have done it for Lisa’s sake, or at her request because I advised her to come clean with you about everything.”
Ford shook his head. “I don’t think he’s guilty of this, at least. Last I heard, he was sitting in the DeSoto County jail for DUI and attempting to assault an officer. He might have made bail and be out by now. I’ll check on that.”
“Do you need me any longer?” I rose from the stoop. “Diesel and I were headed home for lunch when I discovered the broken windshield. While I’m there, I can arrange for repairs.”
“Sure,” Ford said. “We’ll be finished with it in a few minutes, and I’ll have an officer on duty. You go on home and get something to eat.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Come on, Diesel. Let’s go home.” I picked up the leash, and the cat set off in the correct direction. He knew exactly where we were headed.
I tried to keep my mind blank on the walk home. If I thought too much about the situation, I would get angry all over again. I needed to remain calm, not only for my health, but in order to figure this out. I did make a couple of decisions while we walked, though.
One was to inform Azalea of the potential danger and to suggest that she not come to the house until the case was done. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to her, and I knew Aunt Dottie would haunt me without mercy the rest of my life if anything did. Whether Azalea would agree with me was a matter beyond my control. I knew who had the upper hand.
The second decision was to call Sean. I knew he would be alarmed and would probably try to talk me into resigning from my temporary position. Laura would do the same, no doubt. I didn’t want to cause either of them to worry, not when they both had their families to think about. Besides, that stubborn part of me that I couldn’t ignore wouldn’t allow me to tuck tail and run.
Azalea greeted us at the front door. “I was expecting y’all earlier,” she said. “I put your food in the oven to warm.” She bustled off to the kitchen while I removed Diesel’s leash. I left the harness on because we wouldn’t be here that long. He scampered off toward the utility room while I hung the leash on the hall tree.
By the time I reached the kitchen, Azalea had my food on the table. Today’s lunch consisted of a baked chicken breast, mashed potatoes and brown gravy, green beans, and two rolls—homemade, naturally—to be washed down with Azalea’s wonderful sweet tea.
I knew that eating and enjoying my meal would help keep Azalea in a slightly more tractable mood, so I delayed telling her about what happened to my car until I was nearly done. She sneaked Diesel some bits of chicken while I ate.
Azalea’s eyes narrowed as I talked, and when I’d finished, she said, “So wicked. Why some people have to go around destroying what good people like you work for I surely don’t know. The Lord have mercy on their soul.”
I nodded. “The problem is, you see, I’m not sure exactly why I was targeted like this. It could be simply spite because I had a run-in with one of the library staff today. Or it could be something a lot worse. The killer could be warning me to back off.”
“I see,” she said. “Then I guess in that case you’re gonna want me not to come to work until my daughter lays hands on the murderer.”
Feeling relieved that she understood, I said, “Yes. There’s no telling what the killer might do, or who he might target.”
Azalea snorted. “Not going to send me running to hide under my bed. I got a shotgun at home, belonged to my husband, and I know how to use it. Anybody tries to harm me or anything in Miss Dottie’s house is gonna end up talking to Saint Peter quicker than he ever thought about.”
I should have known she would react this way, and I also knew there was not a thing I could do or say to dissuade her. As always, I was touched by her loyalty to my late aunt and her home. But I worried nevertheless.
“Promise me you’ll be careful,” I said. “I’m going to show you again how to set the alarm for the outside doors and the windows, and I want you to keep the alarm on whenever you’re here. Especially when you’re here alone.”
For a moment I thought she would protest, but then she nodded. We spent a few minutes going over the workings of the alarm, and then I dug out the phone book to look up the number for the nearest glass company.
Ten minutes later I had completed arrangements to have my windshield replaced. I didn’t bother to call my insurance agent because the amount quoted for replacement and installation was under my deductible.
Finally, I called Sean. At the last minute, I wavered on telling him what had happened over the phone. “Would you have time to drop by my office sometime this afternoon? I have a few things I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Let me see,” he said. “Yeah, I can come by around four, if that’s okay. I should be done here at the office by then.”
“That’s fine,” I said. “See you then.” I ended the call and stuck the phone in my pocket. “Okay, Diesel, time to go back to work. Thanks for the delicious lunch, Azalea. I was starving.”
After reminding her to set the alarm once we left, Diesel and I headed back to the office.
The windshield repairman was due by two, and it was a few minutes after one thirty now. I cast an anxious glance at the sky. The clouds looked threatening again. Perhaps I should try to find plastic or a tarp to cover the breakage with. I didn’t want the inside of the car soaked.
I picked up the pace, and Diesel trotted along with me. We both could use the exercise, though I didn’t want to push either of us too hard. We arrived at the library administration building in record time, but instead of going in the front, we continued along the sidewalk to the back parking lot.
As promised, Chief Ford had an officer on duty, an obvious presence in the police car parked in the lot close to the street. I approached my car and was surprised and gratified to see the windshield already covered with a tarp. Either Ford or perhaps Melba must have arranged it.
I acknowledged the officer in the patrol car, and Diesel and I entered the building through the back door. A new officer was on duty by the front door. We stopped to say hello, then heeded Melba’s summons to come into her office.
“Chief Ford told me what happened to your car,” she said. “I’ll tell you right now, if it weren’t for the campus police on guard duty here and outside, I’d be home locked up like Fort Knox.”
“I can’t blame you,” I said. “Chief Ford advised me to use my alarm system at home, and I’m going to. Can’t take any chances until this thing is settled.”
“No, we can’t.” Melba shivered. “I got a guy I know in physical facilities to cover your windshield. It was looking like rain, and I didn’t know when you would get it repaired.”
I told her the arrangements I had made earlier. I handed her my car keys. “If the repairman needs them, would you mind giving them to him? When he’s done, I’ll write him a check.”
“I’ll take care of it,” she said. “You go on. I know you’re anxious to get back to work.”
“Thanks.” I looked down at the cat, standing next to Melba and rubbing against her legs. “I think he may want to stay with you for a while.”
“That’s fine with me.” She patted his head. “He can be my extra guard-kitty.” Diesel meowed, and we both smiled.
In my office I shed my jacket and went to work at the computer. I found the master budget spreadsheets for the current and past three fiscal years and began going through them, looking for anything suspicious or unusual.
The only time during the next three hours that I wasn’t going through budgets was the few minutes I spent writing a check to the glass company. I thanked the repairman, stretched my shoulders, arms, and neck for a moment, and was soon back at the computer.