Part 2 (1/2)
Police Chief, Herb Simmons was waiting for Frank and Kitty to pul up and get out of the Jeep. ”Hi. I was hoping to find you here. Frank, I need you to come to the station. We've made some progress on the homicide and I need to question you.” Frank looked confused. ”I'm not part of the investigation Herb.”
”I know. We're questioning you as a suspect.”
”I'm coming with you Frank.” Kitty gripped his hand to give him support.
”There's no need for that.” Herb sternly replied.
”Herb. I'm coming too. We'l fol ow you.”
They climbed back into Frank's jeep. Kitty's heart sank. This couldn't be happening.
Chapter 3.
”Frank Hughes? Is that your name?”
”Yes, Herb. You know that's my name. What's going on?” Frank was sitting in a smal room with the Police Chief.
”We found the murder weapon in the dumpster.”
Frank leaned forward. ”And?”
”And. It's a tire iron with your fingerprints on it. Care to explain?” Herb steadied his gaze on Frank's face.
Frank felt like he had just been punched. ”I got a flat tire today and that's the first time I realized it was missing. Actual y, someone slashed my tire and when I looked in the back for the tire iron, it wasn't there. I don't know when I last used it. Who checks if their tire iron is missing?”
”So you don't know how your tire iron, the murder weapon, got in the dumpster?”
”No. Someone put it there, but it wasn't me, Herb.”
”What was your relations.h.i.+p with the victim?”
Frank sat back, trying to relax. ”He was married to my ex-wife, Sheila.”
”Was that difficult for you?”
”At first. But I've been over it for quite a while.”
Never taking his eyes off Frank's face, Herb asked, ”Did you notice anyone near your car during the fair? Someone that might have taken the tire iron?”
”I was talking to Kitty's friend Mia and several people walked by. The only one I remember specifical y was a girl, early twenties maybe, with bleached blond hair with a pink stripe. I saw her again this morning. She works at the coffee shop.”
”How about your ex-wife? Do you know how her relations.h.i.+p was with the victim?”
”You'l have to ask her, Herb. They just had their honeymoon. I would hope they were getting along.”
”You have a young daughter too, right?”
”Yes, Maddie.”
”Any problems with Maddie and the victim?”
”Maddie didn't like Blake. I suppose you know I argued with Blake before he was murdered. Listen, Herb, I didn't kil him and I'm not trying to hide anything.”
”Okay Frank. I just had to ask these questions. Doing my job. You can go now. Ask Kitty to come in please.”
”Kitty? Are you serious? She was watching my daughter when Blake was murdered.”
”Just ask her to come in.”
Frank shook his head and walked from the room. ”Kitty. Herb wants to ask you some questions now. I'l wait here for you.” He leaned in close to her ear. ”He found my tire iron. It's the murder weapon.”
Kitty felt her heart lurch as she went into the room. ”Herb. What's going on? Are you going to question everyone that was at the fair?”
”It may come to that. At least everyone that I can track down. Tel me what you saw or heard.”
”Frank texted me that he was leaving but I had my rooster in the chicken exhibit so I needed to check on him. Maddie, Frank's little girl, saw me.
Frank's ex-wife, Sheila, asked me to watch Maddie so she could look for her husband. Frank came back and said he changed his mind, was going to stay after al . Then we heard al the sirens from the ambulance and police cars. It al happened in a short amount of time.”
”Do you know Frank's ex-wife?”
”No. The first time I met her was at the fair. It was strange. She didn't look happy that Maddie, their little girl, was so happy to see me, but she asked me to watch Maddie. She had something on her mind or was worrying about something.”
”How was she when she came back to get Maddie?”
”I never saw her again. Frank came back and asked me to take Maddie to my house and he would pick her up later.” Herb sat quietly. Thinking. ”Thanks. That's al for now. You can go.”
It was a long night for Kitty. She tossed and turned thinking about how Frank could possibly be a suspect. In the meantime, she had to focus on her planting schedule. It was spring and her organic vegetable crops had to get planted so she could get the farm store stocked with produce. Peas, broccoli, lettuce, beets, carrots and potatoes would be the first things going in. She already had seedlings started for the warmer weather veggies like tomatoes, cuc.u.mbers, squash and eggplant. A big order of strawberry plants was coming soon for u-pick strawberries. This was a busy time.
”Max, at least you're here to keep me company. Let's go out and check on everyone in the barn.” Max wagged his tail. He was always ready for an adventure.
Corey was already in the barn feeding the chickens. Cleo wiggled al over when she saw Kitty and Max.
”Cleo is almost ful grown. I can't believe it. You've done a nice job training her Corey.”
”Thanks. Sam helped me. And Max of course.”
”You'l never guess what I found this morning.” Corey said with excitement. ”Licorice was curled up in the stal with Henry. It seems that everyone has fal en in love with that pony.”
”I've been wondering where that sneaky little black cat had disappeared to. This is a great spot for him. He can keep the mice out of the grain and keep Henry company.”
Kitty stroked the soft cat fur. ”Are you ready to start planting today? It wil be perfect after yesterday's rain.”
”Can't wait. The sooner we plant, the sooner we'l be harvesting al those wonderful veggies.” They turned Henry and Poco out into the field just as Frank drove up in his Jeep.