Spring into Murder (Alaska Cozy Mystery Book 5) Read online

  Natalie stared at Sarah. Had the nosy detective actually found the remote cabin? Impossible. Yet, the evidence seemed clear. And what about the journal? Her face went pale. “I'm...glad you're...doing your job, Detective Garland,” she managed to speak and quickly wiped blood from her lip. “I think I'll go back to my room now and rest. I no longer have an appetite.”

  “Before you go,” Sarah said adding gas to the fire, “I want to let you know that I'm going to get a court order that will allow me to review your father's will.”

  “How dare you!” Natalie erupted, her curly hair practically shaking with anger. “My father's will is a private matter for the family and it will remain private, no matter what illegal court orders you may attempt!”

  “Is that why you went to the mayor of Los Angeles and pressed him to jump down the throats of the police on your behalf?” Sarah asked Natalie calmly.

  Natalie stared at Sarah. Her mouth worked angrily, as if biting back words, and her cheeks flared an ugly shade of red. All of her plans were suddenly unraveling at the seams. After a moment, she gritted out, “I'm returning to my room,” and turned to march outside.

  “Sure, go ahead. Tell Chet's wife we'll see her soon,” Sarah said in a calm voice.

  Natalie stopped walking. She swung around and stared daggers at Sarah. Sarah could see that panic was warring with rage inside of Natalie. “Milton's so-called wife is in Los Angeles, Detective Garland.”

  “Maybe, maybe not. No matter, I have some very damaging evidence to present to the judge tomorrow morning. After that, I doubt you'll be leaving our town anytime soon. And if Milton's wife is around someplace, I'm sure we'll smoke her out of the shadows.”

  “Not so tough now, are you?” Amanda grinned at Natalie.

  Sarah nudged Amanda’s side subtly. “Of course,” she said and lowered her tone, quickly looking around to make sure Anne wasn't in earshot, “we could make a deal.”

  “A deal?” Natalie asked, swallowing down her panic and rage.

  “Sit down,” Sarah said. She pushed Amanda down into the booth and scooted in beside her. “Play along,” Sarah whispered. “Ms. Hopski, please sit down.”

  Natalie hesitated. But then she seemed to make a decision. She walked over to the booth and carefully sat down. “I'm listening,” she said in a cautious voice.

  “Listen,” Sarah coaxed, looking at Natalie over her coffee mug, “we can all be friends. It's obvious I have enough evidence to at least make a jury think twice about setting you free.” Sarah sipped her coffee. “Ms. Hopski, this is a small town. I'm a retired cop and I know everyone. What I say, goes. So...”

  “I think I know what you’re implying,” Natalie said, ready to get straight to the point. She sat back in the booth a little bit, clearly ready to school two backwoods investigators in the ways of bribery and corruption. This was Natalie’s familiar ground and she was very comfortable now, all the tension and fury of the earlier altercation forgotten.

  “Oh?” said Sarah. “I want to make sure you understand—”

  “We have enough evidence to send you up the river, sister,” Amanda said, jumping in with both feet. Sarah discretely nudged her best friend under the table to calm her down a little – Natalie needed to think everything was calm and pre-planned.

  “You've seen what our humble police department is like, Ms. Hopski. It’s a real struggle in a small town like this. I’m sure you can understand that sometimes investigations get bogged down, evidence gets lost…” Sarah kept her insinuations vague. She could not, under any circumstances, imply that Natalie could buy her way out of this conviction. Natalie had to come up with that ugly bit of skullduggery on her own.

  Amanda picked up her coffee and sipped at it almost daintily. “We don't like threats. But sometimes things can be...smoothed over, if you catch our drift.”

  “That is,” Sarah added, “if it’s worth the trouble.”

  Natalie darted her eyes back and forth between Sarah and Amanda. “I think I can make it worth your while, ladies,” she said quietly. She was cool and in control, now that she believed that money was the key to ending her problems in Snow Falls.

  Sarah kept her poker face still. The trap had shut behind Natalie now, though she didn’t even know it.

  “We’ll have to settle this...elsewhere,” Sarah said, glancing around at the other customers. “Privately.”

  “When and where?” Natalie demanded in a quiet voice.

  “My cabin, midnight,” Sarah whispered. “Come alone.” Sarah fished a pen out of her rain jacket pocket and scrawled directions to her cabin on a napkin.

  Natalie snatched the napkin from Sarah's hands. “I'll be there,” she said and coughed, and wiped one last tiny trickle of blood from her mouth. “I want both of you present when I arrive. No games.”

  “No games,” Sarah assured Natalie.

  “Yeah, no games, sister,” Amanda promised. “But you remember this: if you try anything funny, the evidence we have in our possession goes public.”

  “Perhaps we can talk about the journal tonight, in private?” Natalie said through gritted teeth.

  “If you’re willing to make it worth our while tonight, you'll get half of the journal,” Sarah told Natalie and drained her coffee. “If you can prove that you’re serious, we can make future arrangements for you to get the other half – the most damaging half.”

  “The half where your father talks about you pushing your mother down a flight of stairs in a department store in my home town of London,” Amanda added.

  Natalie licked her lips. It was clear to her that Sarah possessed the journal of William Archie Hopski. The old man was causing more problems for her dead than when he was alive. “I’ll be there tonight. No games.”

  “You better be,” Sarah said speaking in a tough voice. “I'll play nice, Ms. Hopski, until you play foul. Let's not take that route, okay? The choice is yours.”

  “It's either prison,” Amanda promised, “or...”

  “I know what you want. What choice do I have?” Natalie hissed, without realizing that she was indicting herself in public. “I'll arrive at your cabin at midnight, Detective Garland.” Natalie stood up. “All cops are dirty,” she said in a disgusted voice. “You're no different than a street cop taking a payoff from a sewer rat.”

  “Hey, a girl has to make a living,” Sarah said and motioned at the front door. “Midnight, Ms. Hopski, and not a minute later.”

  Natalie glanced down at Amanda. “Never touch me again, is that clear?”

  “Take a hike,” Amanda snapped at Natalie. Natalie was about to snap back, but thought better of it when she spotted Anne walk out of the kitchen carrying two plates of food. Instead, she turned an evil eye at Amanda and hurried out into the storm. “The trap is set,” Amanda said in an excited voice. “Sarah, love, you're brilliant.”

  “You didn't do so bad yourself. And wow, you sure let that woman have it.” Sarah grinned at her best friend. “I'm impressed.”

  Amanda blushed. “I don't know what came over me. I...saw red and the next thing I knew I was on top of her.”

  Anne approached the booth. “I saw the fight,” she said and placed their dinner plates down onto the table. “My husband wanted to come up here and break up the fight, but I wouldn't let him.” Anne winked at Amanda. “Not bad, girl. Not bad at all.”

  Amanda blushed again. “Well, you know...sometimes us quiet little English people can be full of fireworks when the situation calls for it.”

  “I bet,” Anne said, proud of Amanda. She patted Amanda on the shoulder and walked away.

  Sarah smiled, picked up a dinner fork, and looked down at her hot plate filled with delicious chicken and dumplings, green beans, okra, and a dinner roll. “I'm starved. Let's eat.”

  Amanda grabbed her fork and tore into her food. “So, what is your plan, Los Angeles?”

  “Natalie thinks she’s cornered us, that we’re a couple of greedy small-town cops looking for a payoff. She isn't going to sh
ow up at my cabin alone,” Sarah explained, taking a bite of her food. “I intend to catch all the killers with one net tonight.”

  “Do you really believe Milton's wife is Natalie’s sister?” Amanda asked.

  “I do,” Sarah nodded her head and picked up her dinner roll. “I also believe Natalie has a brother that's lurking around here somewhere.” Sarah took a bite of her dinner roll and looked out at the storm. “Tonight, June Bug, we turn into the hunters.”

  “For Mr. Hopski's sake, let's hope we snag the game we're after,” Amanda said and continued to eat her dinner. Outside, the rain continued to fall.

  ***

  Andrew didn't like Sarah's plan. No, not at all. But what could he do? He now had two dead bodies in his town and feared the count might rise if immediate action wasn't taken, beginning with Sarah and Amanda. He caved in and listened to Sarah explain her plan. “Keep Milton and Chet behind bars,” Sarah warned Andrew before leaving his office. “I'm not sure, but Natalie might try to get to them if she thinks she has some high ground to stand on. I doubt she would actually attack them here at the police station, but she might.”

  “So, that means you want me to stay here at the station, right?” Andrew asked in a reluctant voice. He looked down at the open take-out container of chicken and dumplings on his desk, snatched up his dinner roll, and morosely took a bite.

  “Andrew, I need you to trust me,” Sarah explained. “I'm giving Natalie enough time to send someone out to my cabin to watch it before Amanda and I arrive. I want Natalie to think that I'm really about to take a bribe to let her go free and hand over her father’s journal,” Sarah plopped down in a chair. “We've got a few more minutes. Let's go over the information you dug up on Natalie, okay?” She flipped open a folder full of notes and started asking him questions in between his mouthfuls of dinner.

  Meanwhile, Amanda was in the holding cell area, talking to Milton and Chet through the bars. Milton and Chet sat on one of the cell’s cots, drinking coffee and eating apple pie from take-out containers she had brought them from the diner. Being arrested, Milton informed Amanda, wasn't so bad. “You're not really under arrest, guys,” Amanda reminded him, “you're under protective custody, remember?”

  “Well, it sure looks a lot like jail, doll face. When do we get our stripey orange pajamas?” Milton joked, but his brother didn’t even smile.

  “Hopefully this will all be over soon,” Amanda said, trying to give Chet an encouraging smile.

  Chet took a bite of apple pie and nodded his head. “Chief Andrew said he found out that Natalie has a biological brother and a sister. Teresa, my wife, is Natalie's blood sister.” His eyes were full of pain.

  “I'm sorry, big guy, I truly am,” Amanda replied in a caring voice. “I know you're hurting and I wish I could take away your pain. Sarah and I were even considering asking you guys to move to Snow Falls and start a new life, leave all your heartache in Los Angeles behind.”

  “Nah,” Milton said as he forked up another bite of his apple pie, “I'm not a snow person. I get cold when the weather drops under seventy-two degrees. But thanks for the offer.”

  Chet looked up at Amanda. “I don't like the snow either. I like taking walks on the beach in the warm sunshine.”

  Amanda nodded. “Don’t count yourselves out just yet, boys. You know, I never thought I’d move to Alaska, but the snow is like home to me now. I actually kind of start missing it after a while. Of course, when winter does arrive, all I do is complain, fuss and gripe. But deep down I love every single snowflake that falls out of God's beautiful sky.” Amanda smiled. “I wasn't always fond of the snow. My first winter in Snow Falls was a disaster. I ran my truck into a tree, hit trash cans, slipped on sidewalks, you name it, I did it. But eventually I learned how to live with the snow and the snow learned how to live with me.”

  Milton sighed. “I guess Pop liked the snow, too...and so did Ma. I wish...I wish Pop had invited us to Alaska with him. All these years we thought he was hunting in Africa. He made his trips sound so convincing...he even showed us photos.”

  “Fake photos,” Chet pointed out.

  “Yeah, I get that now,” Milton nodded his big head slowly. “I wonder why Pop never talked about the cabin?”

  “Some things are deep and private,” Amanda ventured. “Love can be a wonderful dream as well as a painful tear that people hide within their hearts. Maybe your father didn't want people to see his tears?”

  “I wouldn't have minded seeing Pop cry,” Milton said quietly and looked down at his apple pie. “I know Pop was emotional at times. After the nightmare he went through in the war, who could blame the guy?”

  Chet reached over and patted Milton's shoulder. “Maybe I can come live with you, huh?” he asked. “I don't like living alone. Your condominium is really big.”

  “Sure,” Milton forced a smile to his face, “we’ll be two swinging bachelors. We'll order pizza every night and guzzle down Pepto Bismol afterward.”

  “Okay,” Chet smiled back.

  “We'll watch old reruns of Bonanza and Gun Smoke. You like those shows.”

  “I like Hoss,” Chet confirmed and nudged his brother with a loving shoulder. “Daddy would like us becoming roommates and watching Bonanza together.”

  “Yeah, he would,” Milton agreed. He looked at Amanda. Amanda had tears in her eyes. “Hey, kiddo, are you okay?”

  Amanda wiped at her tears. “I feel so close to you guys. It's going to break my heart to see you leave. I mean, I know Los Angeles is your home, but I wish you would both stay.”

  Chet looked at Milton. Milton looked at Chet. They didn't know what to say to a crying woman; not a clue in the world. “We could live here during the summer months,” Milton suggested.

  Chet nodded his head. “The apple pie is really good, and so is the coffee.”

  “And it won't be like we're leaving Los Angeles altogether. And who knows, maybe we'll even like it up here. Pop and Ma sure did.”

  “You mean it?” Amanda asked in an excited voice. She wiped at her tears. “You guys will consider living in Snow Falls during the summer months?”

  Chet smiled at Milton. Milton gave a thumbs-up to Amanda. “You got it, kiddo. Milton and Chet Hopski will make your little town their home three months out of the year.”

  Amanda beamed. “I know a cabin that's for sale. The cabin isn't huge, mind you, but it's a comfortable size. We can get you some furniture and a truck and—”

  “Slow down,” Milton winked at Amanda, “first let's make sure we make it through this night alive.”

  “Oh...oh, yeah,” Amanda said and smiled. “You guys sit tight. You sure have made me happy with this news! Wait till Sarah hears. I'll be back for you when the coast is clear.”

  “Are you sure you know what you're doing?” Chet asked Amanda worriedly. “Natalie is a very dangerous woman. And together with Teresa...”

  “It looks like you have a good old-fashioned family reunion on your hands, kiddo,” Milton pointed out.

  “Sarah and I are pros at dealing with low-lifes,” Amanda promised. “You guys just enjoy your apple pie and coffee and leave the bad guys to us.” Amanda waved goodbye and hurried back to Andrew's office. She found Sarah talking to Andrew about Natalie's siblings. The good news about the Hopski brothers turning into Alaska snowbirds would have to wait. “Well, catch me up on the news?” she asked, stepping into the office and sitting down.

  “Natalie's biological brother is a man by the name of Brent Dedd,” Sarah told Amanda. “Brent Dedd is forty-nine years old, no wife, no children, and no current job. His last known address was in Louisiana, but he left there two years ago and vanished into the wind.”

  “Sarah believes that might be around the time Natalie Hopski made contact with Mr. Dedd,” Andrew pointed out.

  Amanda shrugged her shoulders. “Who knows? I would place my bets with Sarah, though.” Amanda looked at Sarah. “Okay, partner, what else do you have?”

  “Brent Dedd served in the
Air Force. He was a pilot but got kicked out for alcoholism. He began working as a crop duster in the southern states for a few years but ended up having his license revoked when he was arrested for flying intoxicated.”

  “I see,” Amanda said, her eyes lighting up. “You found our pilot.”

  “Mr. Hopski also had a flying license,” Sarah pointed out and pointed at Andrew. “Andrew has been burning up the phone for us.”

  “Just doing my job,” Andrew said in a humble voice finishing off his container of food. “Good stuff,” he said and patted his belly. “God is good to feed me tonight. I'm sure grateful.”

  Sarah smiled. “God is good all the time. If only the diner’s kitchen was quite so reliable.”

  “Amen to that,” Amanda chuckled. She told Sarah and Andrew about Milton and Chet agreeing to move to Snow Falls during the summer months.

  “Well,” Sarah said, thinking, “maybe spending time with us will be good for Chet. His wife is probably going to spend the rest of her life behind prison bars. I feel so awful for Chet.”

  Andrew pulled a slice of apple pie over and pushed his dinner container into the garbage behind his desk. “Yeah, the poor guy will take a hard hit to the gut when that happens,” he said as a clap of thunder roared outside. “Maybe the wife and I will have him over for dinner one night.”

  “That would be nice,” Sarah replied. “As far as I can tell, Teresa has a long criminal history that I don't think Chet is aware of. She had a cover story of being pretty squeaky clean by the time they met and got married.”