Silent Storm

For some reason, that eye made Marly a little uneasy, probably because she now knew Joshua’s true, pathological nature.

Noticing her gaze, Nona said, “Someone slipped that under my door the other day. I guess they’re trying to tell me something.”

Marly smiled. “I wouldn’t take it personally. They’re probably passing out those leaflets all over the neighborhood.”

“Maybe.” Nona picked up her cup, cradling the thick ceramic mug in both hands as if she were suddenly chilled. “So tell me about Ricky. What happened to him?”

“The medical examiner will make the final determination as to cause of death,” Marly said. “So what I’m about to tell you isn’t for public consumption. Keep it to yourself until there’s an official announcement, okay?”

Nona nodded, but her expression seemed doubtful. She would probably talk, Marly thought, but it didn’t really matter. Everyone in town would know about Ricky’s death in a matter of hours. Already a crowd had gathered on the street outside his house.

“It looks like Ricky died from a gunshot wound,” she said.

“Son of a bitch.” Nona let out a shaky breath. “I used to worry about him hurting someone with that damn pistol of his, but I never thought he’d up and shoot himself.”

“I never said it was suicide,” Marly said quickly.

“It was, though, wasn’t it?” Nona wrapped her arms around her middle. “What the hell is going on in this damn town anyway? Why are all these people killing themselves? Why Ricky?”

Marly lifted her shoulders helplessly, but she couldn’t help wondering the same thing. Could Deacon Cage be right? Was there someone in town, someone she knew, who could compel people to commit suicide?

Her gaze lit on the flyer again, and an uneasy shiver crept up her backbone. “I’m no expert on human behavior,” she tried to say evenly. “It’s going to take us a while to figure it all out, I guess. In the meantime, I need to ask you some questions about Ricky. Is that all right with you?”

“What kind of questions?” Nona asked with a frown.

“Just routine.” Marly got out her notebook. “You said the two of you had a recent falling out. Tell me about that.”

“If you’re thinking that might be the reason Ricky killed himself, no way. He wasn’t losing any sleep over our breakup,” Nona said bitterly.

“How do you know?”

“Because he had himself a new girlfriend. I walked in on them one night. He was…entertaining her on the living room couch. Couldn’t even make it to the bedroom.” Her voice was edged with lingering anger and hurt. “We had words. Things got a little out of hand. I ended up tossing her clothes out the front door, and then Ricky threw me out. Told me it was over between us, he was in love with someone else, and I’d better leave them alone if I knew what was good for me.” She sniffed and drew a hand across her nose.

“When was the last time you saw him?”

Nona thought for a moment. “Last Saturday night. I met some friends for drinks at that new country and western place out on Highway Seven. Used to be the Tin Roof. Anyway, Ricky was there with Crystal.”

Marly glanced up sharply. “Crystal.”

“Crystal Bishop, the new girlfriend. She’s Gus Bishop’s niece. You know, the high school custodian? I’d bet good money that creepy old bastard has dirt on somebody over there because I don’t know how else Crystal could have ended up working in the school office. Her experience is not exactly clerical in nature, if you know what I mean.”

Yes, Marly thought with her own unexpected bitterness. She knew only too well where Crystal Bishop’s talents lay.

She remembered, with vivid clarity, the day she’d found the woman in Joshua’s office, the way Crystal’s long, black hair had cascaded down her tanned back…how her slim, nude body had moved rhythmically as her cries mingled with Joshua’s…

Marly had stood frozen in place, too shocked to move let alone speak. Crystal’s back had been to her, but Joshua, sprawled beneath her on the sofa, had spotted Marly in the doorway. He hadn’t looked particularly surprised to find her there and certainly not repentant. He’d merely encircled Crystal’s waist and lifted her off him, but not before—Marly would have sworn—he’d finished.

She was annoyed now to find that the memory still rankled—not because she harbored feelings for Joshua Rush—but because, for a short time, she’d allowed him to have power over her.

But that was all in the past, she reminded herself. And it had been a lesson well learned.

“What else you want to know about Ricky?” Nona prompted.

Marly forced her attention back to the conversation. “Did you talk to him on Saturday night?”

Nona shook her head. “No. I didn’t stay long. Luanne MacAllister dropped me off here before ten. Ricky came in around midnight. I heard his truck pull into the carport.”

“How can you be sure about the time?” Marly asked her.

“Saturday Night Live was just going off. I don’t usually watch the whole show, but I did that night because Matthew McConaughey was the host, and I’ve got a real thing for him. He kind of reminds me of your brother.”

“Do you know if Ricky was alone?”

“I’m pretty sure he was. I happened to look out the window, and I didn’t see anyone with him.”

“You didn’t see or hear anything out of the ordinary that night?”

Nona gave her a knowing look. “You mean like a gunshot? No, but that doesn’t mean anything. Takes me a while to fall asleep, but when I do, it’s like waking the dead.”

“Was that the last time you saw Ricky?”

She nodded. “His truck was in the carport all the next day, but it was Sunday so I didn’t think anything of it. I just figured he was hungover or something and didn’t feel like getting out. When I saw his truck was still there on Monday, I thought maybe his crew had gotten rained out. But then I ran into one of his buddies at the Giant K this morning, and he said the crew was far enough along on the new gym that the weather wasn’t a problem. They were mostly working inside now. Anyway, that got me to thinking that maybe I’d better get the cops out here to check up on him.”

“Were you home all weekend?”

Nona nodded. “I’m without wheels at the moment, so yeah, I was home.”

“You didn’t see anyone come in or out of Ricky’s house?”

“No.”

“No strange cars in the neighborhood?”

Nona looked startled. “What are you getting at, Marly?”

“I’m just covering all the bases.”

Nona’s eyes were like saucers. “You don’t think someone murdered Ricky, do you?”

“Like I said, these are just routine questions. Nothing to be alarmed about.” But Marly wasn’t certain if she was trying to convince Nona or herself. “How did Ricky seem to you on Saturday night?”

“Okay, I guess. But I got the impression he and Crystal weren’t exactly getting along. If you think someone killed poor Ricky, maybe you better go talk to her.”

Marly intended to, but it wasn’t a conversation she looked forward to. She closed her notebook and stood. “That should do it for now. Thanks for your cooperation, Nona.”

She shrugged. “Least I could do for Ricky. Like I said, we had our differences, but we go way back.” She came around the counter and walked Marly to the door.

“I’ll be in touch. As soon as we hear back from the medical examiner, I’ll let you know.” Marly opened the screen door, but before she could step outside, Nona put a hand on her arm.