VeVe and I were having dinner at a little café near her house.
“You look tired, VeVe.”
“I’m not sleeping well. Ever since we found Mr. Carpenter, I’ve been having nightmares. I even sleep with the light on. I jump at every sound. It’s unnerving. Has this been happening with you?”
“Nah. I sleep like a baby.”
“Oh.”
“I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but this is not my first rodeo.”
“You have been stepping over dead bodies quite a bit lately. Why is that, Jo? You used to be so normal.”
“I do seem to stumble over the dark side of people. I keep hoping it’s a phase.”
VeVe smiled. “I used to think it was so glamorous of you solving all these mysteries, but now that I have been involved in one, it feels . . .”
“Sordid?”
Blushing, VeVe nodded. “No offense intended.”
“None taken. I know what you mean.”
“Did the police make you take a lie detector test?”
I looked up curiously from my chicken salad. “No. Why?”
“They made me take one, and they have asked me to come in for another talk. I don’t think they believe me when I said I didn’t know this Shelby Carpenter.”
“Do you have an appointment scheduled with the police?”
“Day after tomorrow.”
I pulled Shaneika Mary Todd’s business card from my wallet and handed it to VeVe. “Tell Shaneika that you are a friend of mine and ask her if she will go with you to the police interview. She is the number one criminal lawyer in the state.”
“What do the police want from me? Why should I need a lawyer?”
“They want to rattle your cage and see what falls out. They have no other suspect, and you are the closest person at hand. They’re just fishing.”
VeVe poked at her salad in contemplation.
“What is it? Something else is troubling you?”
She put down her fork and used her paper napkin to dab her eyes. “Josiah, this murder might cause me to go bankrupt. The police impounded my car and the thousand dollars Carpenter left. The police won’t release either, and I need my car for work.” VeVe used her napkin to blow her nose.
“Don’t cry, VeVe.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do, Jo. I can’t afford Miss Todd. I simply can’t.”
“She’ll let you pay so much a month. The expense for the interview shouldn’t be too much, and Shaneika will stop future harassment. She’ll be worth the few hundred dollars you’ll pay her.”
VeVe took a deep breath. “You think I should take her?”
“I do, VeVe. I think you’re getting in over your head. Shaneika will help you find solid ground.” I knew how VeVe felt. I had been in her shoes once when a rogue cop hounded me for years and almost murdered me at Cumberland Falls. VeVe needed some backup and fast.
VeVe gingerly put the card in the front pocket of her purse.
“If the police have your car, how did you get here?”
“In a rental, but I can’t keep that up. It’s too costly but I’ve got to have transportation for work.” VeVe mopped her eyes again. “Why does everything have to be so hard. Why won’t the police release my car? I’m so angry I could spit.”
“Because your car is evidence, and they haven’t solved the case yet.” I pulled a checkbook from my purse and wrote a check for a thousand dollars. “Pay me twenty dollars at the first of each month.”
VeVe pushed my outstretched hand away. “I can’t take that. It would make my insomnia worse knowing that I owed someone a thousand dollars. Besides, you need that money yourself.”
I could see there was no use pressing the issue. “Very well. I’m sure they’ll release your car as soon as they arrest someone.” Of course, I didn’t believe that for one second.
“I wish they’d get on with it. If I could do something to solve this case myself, I would. I hate feeling this helpless.” VeVe stabbed a tomato repeatedly.
“I think your salad is dead, VeVe.” I commented, before coming up with a brilliant idea. “Why don’t you ask Lady Elsmere if you can borrow one of her farm trucks until the police release your car?”
“I can’t do that. I don’t know her very well.”
“But I do. The farm has lots of trucks. I’m sure they could spare one.”
VeVe shook her head. “I don’t know how to drive a stick shift.”
“All their farm trucks are automatic.”
“Do you really think she would let me borrow a truck?”
“I’ll broach the subject with Lady Elsmere tomorrow. I’m sure she’ll say yes.” I smiled, congratulating myself on fixing VeVe’s problems. Lady Elsmere agreeing with my plan was as sure as gravy on a biscuit.