Part 6 (2/2)
”Hold on.” Bert disappeared into the house.
”That son of a gun. Do you believe him? I bet he killed Lucy so that he could be with the hair dryer s.l.u.t.” Annie Mae pounded her fist in the air.
”Maybe. Maybe not. We're here to find the truth ourselves.” I glanced around the yard. Seeing Lucy's copious, colorful flowers put a smile on my face. She had such a green thumb.
”No more Ms. Nice guy, I'm going to make him come clean before we leave. With any means I have.” Annie Mae stomped her foot on the ground. ”Adulterous jerk.”
”Right.”
A moment later, Bert returned. ”Okay, I've had enough of whatever it is you two are up to. You need to leave.”
”First, the truth of your whereabouts the night Lucy died. Then we're gone,” Annie Mae said.
”I don't have to answer you.” He glanced over his shoulder.
”Fine. Then you'll have to talk to the police.” Annie Mae pulled out her phone. ”I'm sure they'll reopen the case once they find out your alibi was full of holes. Oh, and I am sure the Savannah Morning News would love to hear about what we've unraveled so far. Adulterous husband who lied about where he was the night his wife died. Very suspicious. It'll get the tongues wagging. I think it'll be front-page news. And I bet we can get television coverage, too.”
”Jeez. You are a pain in the a.s.s.” Bert narrowed his eyes. ”I did not kill my wife.”
”Then where were you? 'Cause you sure weren't fis.h.i.+ng.” Annie Mae stared at Bert.
Bert remained silent for a minute.
Annie Mae tapped her foot, her arms folded on her chest. ”So? I played nice with you, and that didn't seem to work. Now I have to go and get all tough and mean on you. Would you like me to ask the question slower so that you can understand?”
”Not that it's any of your business, but I was with a lady friend at a hotel. Out of state. And I have receipts to prove that.” Bert shook a finger at Annie Mae and me. ”So back off.”
I took a deep sigh. ”You didn't kill Lucy?”
Bert shook his head. ”No. I may be a cheat, but I'm not a killer.”
”Well, goodie for you, taking your made-up moral high ground. Cheating okay, murder not.” Annie Mae twisted her mouth.
Sucking in a breath, I said, ”Do you know anyone who would've wanted to kill her?”
He shrugged his shoulders.
”Anyone who didn't like her, or that she may have upset, or got on their nerves?” Annie Mae asked.
”You, on the other hand, I can think of one person for sure that you've irritated the h.e.l.l out of.” Bert ran a hand through his hair.
”Funny, Bert.” Annie Mae grinned and pointed a finger in Bert's face. ”I admit that I may be exasperating. But I was never a cheater.”
”Hey.” Bert teed his hands in a time-out sign.
”Sorry.” Annie Mae looked down at her feet. ”I was a little out of line. The sugar and all. I'm getting cranky, and you are pus.h.i.+ng all of the wrong b.u.t.tons with your coy BS.”
Bert glared at Annie Mae.
Annie Mae glared back.
Soon they were in a staring contest, neither blinking nor turning away.
This wasn't getting anywhere. I needed to figure out what to do next to get a lead. ”We're going nowhere with this. But I wonder if you would let us borrow Lucy's cell phone.”
”I don't think so.” Bert put his hands on his hips.
Annie Mae broke her glare at Bert. ”Please? With extra sugar on top?”
”Haven't you had enough sugar?” Bert half grinned.
”So will you get it?” Annie Mae asked.
Bert stood there eyeing Annie Mae then me.
Hoping to encourage him, I said, ”It'll only take you a second to get it. You see, it's really important. Because...um...because...”
Annie Mae nudged me in the arm. ”You see, Lucy took some pictures of Cat's kids and forgot to send them to her. And you know how much Cat loves her kids, and these are really special, one-of-a-kind pictures to her. So, we desperately need the phone.”
I added, ”We promise to get her phone back to you.”
”Please?” Annie Mae said.
”It's really critical,” I added.
”Fine, already. I've wasted enough time with you two. I'll do anything to get you off my back.” Bert raised an eyebrow. ”Stay right here, and I'll bring it to you. But then you must leave, immediately.”
A minute or so later, Bert opened the door and shoved the cell phone at Annie Mae. ”When you return it, put it under that flower pot.”
As we drove away, Annie Mae said, ”I think that went well. Where to next?”
”How about you scroll through Lucy's call log and her texts? Look for anything that stands out.”
While I drove, Annie Mae looked through Lucy's phone. ”So far, nothing that says *I will kill you' or anything like that.”
”That'd be too easy, huh?”
”Besides her husband and us, there were quite a few calls to the Humane Society and that antique store. Plus a few names I don't recognize. They could be her Bible study people.”
”Since we're close, why don't we visit the grocery store next?” I said. ”Maybe they can tell us if they noticed anything off about Lucy.”
”This time you play bad cop, and I'll be good cop,” Annie Mae said.
”How about we both just ask questions nicely.” I smiled.
”Bert's a jerk. He deserved my sugar-induced cranky att.i.tude.”
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