SIXTEEN

“I guess we can strike the Randal’s off the list,” I told Dottie.

“Is that so?” She held onto the base of the ladder while I used Henry’s staple gun to staple the party lights Betts had given me to use around the Tiki bar. “I didn’t think Ty did it anyways, but Mae, I’m finding that you’re one of them people who has to try it for themselves to believe it.”

“He was with his daddy around the time Hank said Paul had been shot.” I ignored her complimentary comment of me and continued to tell her what I’d learned. “I’m still so worried that he’s going to try and pin it on you.”

“Didn’t I tell you that I found me an alibi?” She took a step back, letting go of the ladder and looked up at me.

“No.” I handed her the nail gun before I climbed down. “That’s wonderful news. Who was it?”

Alvin Deters and his crew was putting the finishing touches on what he called the irrigation system in the middle of the lake, which looked like a pineapple fountain to me. The sound of the water feature was actually soothing and relaxing.

“I got to thinkin’.” She tapped her temple. “I was having me some trouble with the satellite dish up on the roof of my camper. I had placed a call to them and was fussin’ with them around the times Paul was killed. It wasn’t until I got my bill in the mail this mornin’ that I remembered. I was as happy as a peacock as I took my bill right on down to the station and handed it to Hank. He did whatever magic they do with phone records and calling people and confirmed they had me on hold several different times, adding up to almost two hours on the phone with them.” She stuck up two fingers in the air. “That means two hours I won’t get back in my life. Can you believe that?”

“I’m so glad. Not about the wasted life thing but the fact you have an alibi.” There was a relief that swept over me that made me feel like I wasn’t in a huge hurry to find out who killed Paul now. Though my curiosity was still up, the only people on my list and that I’d started to care about had solid alibis. “I still think that Grady Cox did it. I mean, he disappears the day of and they’ve not heard or seen from him?”

“Now you need to stop snooping now that I’m not a suspect and we can finish up with the decorations for this fundraiser.” She jerked her head to the side. “Come on, I need to show you something.”

“What?” I asked.

“It’s a sir-prise,” she said in a slow southern twang. “So you’re gonna have to come with me to find out.”

“I do love a good surprise.” I looked around the campground as I followed her towards the building I thought would make a great office one day instead of her camper.

The campground was coming along. The sod had started to take, the muck from the lake was gone, and all the camp sites had been cleaned up, weeded, and ready for RV’s. There was a fear of getting too excited and the expectation that we were going to be able to get some reservations.

“Do you think people are going to come?” I asked Dottie and followed her into the building.

“With all of Abby’s social media and the ads you put out in the paper, I think we will have a handful of people.” She flipped on the light. “Well?” She rocked back on the heels of her shoes. “Whatcha’ think?”

“Dottie,” I gasped and looked at the desk, filing cabinet and computer. “Is this the new office?”

“Yes, ma’am. You said we needed a real office space and I figured we’d clear out this building. That sign over there,” she pointed to several metal signs, “it says office. Henry is going to hang that later today. Those are some signs I thought he could hang in the recreation center.”

“That reminds me. I need to call someone I met the other day to come and get the video games in the recreation center up and running.” I made a mental note to call Jr. It could be his first job for me.

“Here we got the files from my camper all in order of the lot numbers. The computer isn’t all working yet, but I thought you could do that.” As she talked, I had an idea I’d have Jr. do that too. “The phone is hooked up and ready for reservations.”

“This is great, Dottie.” My eyes filled with tears of joy.

“Don’t be going and getting all soft,” Dottie warned. “You said we need to run like a business and we do. I’ll be working here during the day and you can work at night.”

“I think we can work something out. Thank you.” I gave her hug.

“Yep, you’re going soft on me,” she joked.

“Don’t you know that we hug around here,” I repeated everything I’ve been hearing.

“Goodness gracious. Mae West, I think we’ve started to rub off on you,” she teased.

“I just think you have.” I couldn’t stop the smile from growing ear to ear. “What do you say we head over to my storage unit. I think there’s some clothes in there I can sell or find someone to buy. I’ve gotta find some extra cash to pay someone to get those video games up and running along with this computer.”

“Sounds good.” She walked over to the wall where there were some hooks. “Here are the keys we need. I’ve got them all labeled on this little round piece of cardboard on the tag, so any of us can find what we need.”

When we walked outside, Alvin was walking around.

“There you are.” He pointed to me and we met in the middle. Buck down at the Tough Nickel sent over some lawn chairs and a couple Adirondack chairs along with a couple of bourbon barrels and a popcorn machine for a donation. He said he got some in for the shop, but they are used and he figured you could use them around the lake.” Alvin pointed to his pick-up truck. The white chairs were stacked up and looked like they were about to tumble right on out of there.

“That’s great.” It took everything I had not to cry. “Alvin, thank you so much. First the lake, the fish, the sod and now this. I’m so grateful. You’re kindness has really touched me.”

“Your dedication to this community has really made up for what your husband has done. The good preacher and Betts is right. You were just as much a victim as we were.” He didn’t have those hard-facial features I was used to seeing when he talked to me before. There’d really been a shift. “I’m sorry I didn’t see that the day I met you.”

I knew it was hard for him to apologize, so I let it slip on through the wind.

“You’ve got to come in here and see the new office Dottie fixed up,” I encouraged him to come in.

“I’d love to, but I’ve got to get down to the bank. I’ve spent too many afternoons off.” He declined my offer. “Next time I see you, we’ll have us a cocktail underneath that palm tree over there.”

“I hope it makes it until then.” We both looked over at the blow up palm trees Henry had spaces apart around the lake and used rope and stacks to keep them from blowing over.

“Everything looks great and from what I hear, all the social media you’re doing is getting the word out. I’m gonna put these chairs out and then I’m gone.” He waved and headed back to his truck.

“Come on,” Dottie waved me over. “You’re burnin’ daylight.”

The storage units were right behind the new office and it didn’t take long for us to get there. I took the opportunity to put a call into Grady Jr.

“Hi, Jr, it’s Mae West,” I greeted him after he answered the phone. “I wanted to know if you wanted to do a couple of jobs for me.”

After explaining to him what I needed, he was more than happy to come by later in the day after his shift at the BBQ diner and we hung up.

“Here you go.” Dottie handed me the small key to the storage unit. “You’ll just put the key in the lock, turn and pull up on the handle. Like a garage door.”

I did exactly what she said. When the sun poured into the storage unit it exposed everything in it.

“What in the name of. . .” Dottie started to walk into the unit.

“Dottie stop!” I screamed and took out my cell phone, dialing 9-1-1.

Dottie’s face was snow white, her mouth was gaped open and was rendered speechless.

“Yes, my name Mae West and I’m at the Happy Trails Campground.” I swallowed to try to get some saliva in my mouth. “I just opened up my storage unit and there’s a dead body in it.”