Dying For Dinner Rolls Part 6

"Yes." Annie Mae closed the door. "Let's get the fraud."

"Or at least find out where he was when Lucy was killed. That would help us decide if he's a suspect or not." With Annie Mae at my heels, I marched to the front door and then rang the bell.

Bert opened the door after the fourth ring. "What are you two doing here?"

"Hi to you, too." Annie Mae glowered at Bert.

Bert's wet hair clung to his round head. He wore a pressed short-sleeve cotton s.h.i.+rt over his protruding belly and khaki shorts showing his white, hairy legs. A fruity scent a.s.saulted me. It must have been Bert's shampoo.

Bert ran a hand through his hair. "What do you gals need?"

"Nothing but the truth," Annie Mae said.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about." Bert stood in the doorway, neither letting us in nor coming onto the porch with us.

"Let me try to explain. There are some things that are not adding up. As you know, my dad was killed, and now Lucy is also dead. I'm thinking that somehow their deaths may be related, although I'm not sure. That's why we are here," I said.

"Is that so?" Bert smoothed his hair. "Still, I'm not getting what you want from me."

"I'd just like to clear up a few things." I said. "Ask you some questions, if that is okay with you?"

"Humph." Bert s.h.i.+fted from his right to left foot.

"Where were you when Lucy died?" I asked.

"Uh, well, I don't know if I will answer that." Bert placed his hand on the doork.n.o.b.

"Please? I need to know." I tilted my head.

"Listen, ladies, you interrupted something important." Bert began to close the door.

Annie Mae stuck her foot in the door. "Hold on. We know your alibi stinks like a big old dead fish. So please answer Cat. It's really important."

Bert held the doork.n.o.b. He didn't make eye contact with us.

"Listen, Bert. You have to help us help you. Because right now, I can call my friend at the police department and tell him that you were not where you said you were when Lucy died." I gave him my practiced pleading look, which included a sweet smile and a slight sideways glance.

Annie Mae wagged a finger at Bert. "Bert, I know we are all grieving here over Lucy. Because of that, we sometimes don't act like ourselves."

"And?" Bert asked.

"Emotions can run hot. I know I have been cranky and upset. But we all have to work through our grief. Some of us, like Cat and me, have too many unanswered questions around your wife's death. And because we loved Lucy, we need to find out what happened to her. It will give us closure on her death. We need to do this for our own sake," Annie Mae said to Bert.

"What happened to her? Everyone knows that she committed suicide," Bert said. "The police even said so."

"Do you believe she did that?" Annie Mae asked Bert.

"Whether I believe it or not, that doesn't matter. It's what happened." Bert's eyes watered up.

"That's what most people believe, but not us. We think someone may have killed her." I placed a hand on Bert's shoulder.

"You do? Why?" Bert looked at me.

"I'm not sure yet. That's why we are talking to you. We need some answers." I removed my hand from Bert's shoulder.

"Could you please help us out here? I'm getting a little shaky standing in this heat," Annie Mae said to Bert.

"She's sugared up," I added.

"Huh?" Bert asked.

"It's a sugar and caffeine overload. I'm just fit to be tied. I'm just saying that it's not a good combination," Annie Mae said. "I think I need some real food soon. But that's not important. What I need right now is for you to please tell us the truth."

"About what?" Bert said.

"Where were you the night Lucy died?" Annie Mae asked.

"Not that I need to tell you. But I was fis.h.i.+ng," Bert said.

"Oh no, you were not. I'm calling you out. We got it from a reliable source that you were not fis.h.i.+ng. Bert, why aren't you telling us the truth?" Annie Mae said. "Please don't insult our intelligence."

"It is the truth. I was at my friend James' lake home in the North Carolina mountains." Bert looked down at the ground.

"That's a tall tale for sure." Annie Mae leaned into the door next to Bert. "You need to level with us. A good start would be to be honest."

I implored, "We're just trying to get a straight answer from you. You don't want your name tied to two murders, do you?"

"Two murders?" Bert stammered.

"Lucy's and my dad's." My heart sank thinking of them.

"Whoa, now. You're going off the deep end." Bert waved his hand side to side. "I didn't kill anyone. Let alone two people."

Annie Mae fanned herself with her hand. "It's so hot out here. Why don't you invite us in?"

"Um, I...I...can't," Bert stuttered. "I'm a little occupied right now. Could you come back later?"

Annie Mae folded her arms on her chest. "We'll leave as soon as you answer us. And if you don't, we'll just camp out here all night. You may need to get us a fan, and maybe a chair, and some cold drinks."

I stared him in the eye. "Please, Bert. We think Lucy was killed, and since we found out that your fis.h.i.+ng alibi fell apart, you may be considered a suspect."

"Unless you can tell us where you were," Annie Mae added.

Bert wiped a bead of perspiration from the top of his lip.

A voice behind Bert called out, "Honey, where's the hair dryer?"

Bert turned and shouted into the house, "Under the sink."

Annie Mae leaned into the screen door. "Do you have a new lady already? My goodness. Lucy just died!"

"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."