Ever since she moved to town, she’d thought up endless ways to see him. Late at night, she’d call him saying she heard a noise and would he come check it out.

  She loved to bake and was constantly dropping off baked goods at his house.

  She must have been watching him because she always managed to show up at the diner when he was there.

  She texted to ask his opinion about inane things.

  She texted to see if he could meet her for a meal.

  She texted to say good morning.

  She texted to say good evening.

  She texted to ask for help moving some furniture.

  It was endless. Today she texted asking if he’d have dinner with her.

  He texted a reply to her:

  If you come volunteer at the campaign, I’ll take you to dinner.

  He knew she wouldn’t come. She was allergic to work.

  About an hour later, he heard a voice he recognized out in the campaign’s main room. He walked to his office door, cracked it open, and saw his suspicions realized. Mary Alice was out there wearing a campaign cap and asking to volunteer. Worse yet, as he stood there listening, he heard her introducing herself to everyone as his lover. For crying out loud.

  He took out his phone, pulled up her contact information, and hit “block.” Then he walked to the back steps and left without her ever laying eyes on him.

  Thirteen

  We all eat lies when our hearts are hungry. –Anonymous

  September, two months before Dead Virgil

  Tess and Jack drove down the sun-dappled country road, heading to Jack’s property in the country for a picnic. Ezzie, Jack’s bassett hound, rode in the back seat with her stubby front paws resting on the windowsill and her head sticking out of the car, nose to the sky, and ears flapping in the wind.

  Tess frowned. “What do you mean someone wants to buy your land?”

  “Just that. But I told them no.”

  “How much did they offer?”

  “We didn’t get that far in the negotiations. I’m not interested in selling. Simple as that.”

  “I’m glad you’re not selling. I love that property. But why did you say no?”

  “Number one, it’s where we had our first date.”

  Tess broke out in a huge grin. “That was some first date too.”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “Number two?”

  “Number two, it’s my happy place, especially when I go there with you. And number three, we might want to build a house on that land some day. So I said no.”

  They arrived at the picnic site and unpacked the car, set out the blanket and food under a hundred-year-old maple tree, and sat down. Jack stretched out and put his hands behind his head, looking up at the tree’s massive branches. Ezzie plopped down next to him, propping her head on his stomach.

  Tess threw a grape at him that hit his nose. “Are you going to eat or take a nap?”

  Ezzie sniffed the grape but left it lying on the blanket.

  Jack sat up on his elbows and smiled at her. “I thought I would eat and then take a nap.”

  Tess made a plate for him full of pasta salad, pimiento cheese and crackers, grapes, and homemade cheese straws. She threw Ezzie a cheese straw. “How’s the book coming?”

  “It’s almost ready to go to press. They’re saying October. I need to get with Louetta and set a date for the launch.”

  “Is she okay with the book? I mean, it is about the murder of her father plus some other things that happened to the family. Are you sure it’s not a sore subject for her?”

  “She and I had a long talk. Since all that happened a few years back, and she learned the truth about her daddy’s death, she’s been more at peace with it. She says she won’t read the book, but she doesn’t mind that I wrote it, and she doesn’t mind helping me sell a few books.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  After they finished lunch, Tess pulled out two lemon cupcakes from Killer Cupcakes. Jack pulled her down to the blanket with him and wrapped his arms around her.

  “What say we take a little nap and then bite into those?”

  “Sounds good to me.” Tess stuck the cupcakes back in the basket, closed the lid, and looked sternly at the dog. “Ezzie, don’t you dare move. Those cupcakes better still be in that basket when we wake up.” Tess snuggled into her husband, her nose nestled alongside his jawline, one leg draped over his.

  Ezzie barked, and Tess’s eyes popped open. She heard leaves rustling and the snap of a branch. She sat up with a start.

  “Probably deer. Lie back down.” Jack pulled on her arm.

  Ezzie pointed her nose, lifted her head, and let out a long bark.

  Tess sat perfectly still, listening. At the sound of crunching leaves, she turned around to look at the woods behind them. “I heard footsteps, Jack. And it’s not a deer.”

  Still groggy from his nap, Jack half-opened his eyes. “If it’s not a deer, it’s probably just some kids. Nothing to be afraid of. Now come here. And you, Ezzie, sit.” He patted the blanket for Ezzie.

  Tess settled back next to him but couldn’t shake the feeling that someone had been watching them. A few minutes later, they both heard footsteps kicking through the leaves. Tess sat up as Jack stood up. Ezzie made a dash for the trees as a stocky man, walking with a limp, appeared through the thick grove.

  Jack propped his hands on his hips. “Who are you and what are you doing on my land?”

  “Name’s Webster Griffin Tarpley. I’m with the Board of Health. Does your dog bite?” He fished in his pocket for a business card, which he handed to Jack, apprehensively watching the dog sniffing at his feet.

  “She might. What are you doing out here?”

  “We had a report of an illegal still on the land–”

  “As I understand it, the police took that down, and if you think I had anything to do with it, well, that’s absurd.”

  “Absurd or not, it’s a fact. That part of your property down yonder is connected to what they call Moonshine Holler. You’re correct that the police took down one still, but another one sprung up in its place. You’d best get yourself a lawyer. That Goose Juice has sickened several people and killed three. Are you sure you’re not in the moonshine bidness?”

  “I most certainly am not.”

  “I expect they’re squatters, but it don’t make no nevermind. Tainted water could be flowing from the still to the lake over yonder and is prolly in the soil as well.” He wrote down some things on his clipboard and then pulled a sheet of paper from underneath a stack of papers. He handed it to Jack. “‘Fraid we’re gonna have to recommend that this land be condemned, sir. It would be my advice to sell it as fast as you can before word spreads. Get out from under it.”

  “Well, that’s a mighty big coincidence, seeing as how I just turned down an offer for this land the other day.”

  Webster shrugged. “I don’t deal in coincidences. I deal in fact. Good day to you both.” He tipped an imaginary hat at them, turned, and made his way back through the woods.

  Ezzie bellowed after him.

  “Jack–”

  Jack paced, his face the color of a beet. “Well, that really stirs my stew.” He stopped, pointing his finger at Tess. “I’m not going to let this scumbag get away with this.”

  “Who? Who’s behind this, Jack?”

  “Who wants land to build a hotel on?”

  “You think Virgil’s behind this?”

  “Darlin’, I’d bet my last bottom dollar.” Jack began folding the blanket and putting things into the picnic basket. “Come on, let’s go talk to Louis P. Howe. We need legal advice.”

  Jack tossed a cupcake to Ezzie, who caught it mid-air. “You can have mine, girl. I’m not hungry anymore.

  Louis P. Howe refused to take the case. “Jack, the health department’s decision will be final. If they condemned the land, there’s nothing we can do to change their ruling. My advice is to get as much for the land as you can and be done with it.”

  “Well, your advice stinks to high heaven. What’s the scuttlebutt on Virgil Pepper? You hear things around town. What’s he up to?”

  Louis shrugged. “He’s running for mayor.”

  “And he wants to build a hotel. You don’t think it’s a coincidence that my land would be condemned at the same time he wants to buy land?”

  Louis shook his head. “Jack, I don’t know.” He lowered his voice and leaned in. “I can’t say who, but I do know who’s behind this. They’re my clients. It’s a losing proposition to fight it. Take my word for it. Don’t waste your time and money.”

  “This can’t stand, Louis P. We can’t sit down and let this cretin come to town and roll over all of us. We have to fight him. Help me fight him. Them. Whoever’s behind it.”

  Louis put his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “It’s no use, Jackson. From what I can see, one of ‘em’s the meanest person God ever put breath into. And he’s got a partner. So there’s no stopping those two. Let it go.”

  “Well, mark my words. With or without you, he’s going down like a fat kid on a seesaw.”

  Hank was sitting at the counter in the diner when Caledonia came in. He saw her nod at the two old regulars at the counter and heard her say, “Hey, Felix. Hireyew, Oscar?”

  “For the last time, we’re not the Odd Couple,” Earl grumped.

  “You are to me. You know that’s just my pet name for you. Hireyew two boys doing?”

  “Worse and glad of it,” Clive grumbled. “But better than Earl. Lord Almighty, he could bore the bark off a tree.”

  “Oh, shush,” Earl said. “You’re just in a bad mood because you still got lead in the pencil but nobody to write a letter to.”

  Caledonia’s face flushed. “Boys! Y’all behave.” She sat in a window booth, and Hank decided to join her.

  “Is this seat reserved for anybody?”

  “Why, no, Officer. I’d be delighted to have you join me. What’s up?”

  “That’s confidential information,” he said, smiling to show he was joking.

  “Is there any good gossip today?” she asked.

  “Best one I heard today was that Commissioner Otis Edwards promised to fix the county roads. When it rains, the roads in some spots wash into pastures. Debris clogs the drainage, and in some cases, kills the pastures, so the farmers are all upset.”

  Caledonia bobbed her head from side to side. “That’s interesting and all, but where’s the gossip in that?”

  Hank held up his index finger. “Well, he fixed a road all right. He fixed the one he lives on. Folks are so mad, they’re collecting loads of debris and planning on building a sizeable blockade in his driveway. He’s gonna learn right quick not to make promises he can’t keep.”

  “I hope he learns his lesson. I don’t know why some people go into public service. Seems they’re only out to service themselves.” Caledonia thought how perfect Virgil was for the role of a politician.

  “I hear you,” Hank nodded. “Listen, there’s something I wanted to ask you about.”

  Caledonia pointed her finger at him. “I figured you had an ulterior motive in coming over here. What’s your question?”

  “Do you know anything about Daisy Baxter?”

  “I know she makes killer cupcakes. What else you want to know?”

  “Do you know where she moved from? Where she and her mother lived the last couple of years?”

  “No. I haven’t had a chance to talk to her much. She’s been so busy with the new shop. It seems real popular. Why don’t you ask Junebug? She knows everything about everybody.”

  “Way ahead of you. She didn’t know anything either.”

  “Hmmm.” Caledonia looked out the window, contemplating Hank’s question. Suddenly, her head snapped around to him. “I know who you can ask.”

  “You do? Who?”

  “Martha Maye. She’s Charlie’s teacher.”

  Hank’s eyebrows knitted together.

  “Daisy’s son, Charlie. Martha Maye’s his teacher. She’ll have his school records from previous years. They’ll tell you what you want to know.”

  Hank jumped up and bent down to frame Caledonia’s face with his hands and kiss her cheek. “Caledonia, you’re a genius. Thank you.”

  “Good luck,” she called after him as he hurried out of the diner.

  Virgil was excited. He’d run into a fourth commissioner, and acting on instinct, he offered a bribe in exchange for a yes vote on the zoning issue. His instinct proved right, and the man accepted on the spot. Virgil now had his four votes guaranteed in the unlikely event he lost the election.

  The matter of Mary Alice bothered him though. She was hanging on like a fat tick on a hound dog. He scrunched his lips together, moving his mouth from side to side as he thought about his predicament. He picked up his phone.

  “Buford. I have my four votes. I’m gonna transfer the funds to Louis P, and he’ll set up a trust so we can buy the land under an LLC. I’ve already talked to Louis, and he’ll list himself as the registered agent. He can file the articles of incorporation in Virginia so we can go ahead and buy the land with no one being the wiser. He’s agreed to handle making the offer for the land and also handle the closing. That will keep you and me out of it for as long as possible.”

  “Why do we want to register in Virginia? You’re not trying to cheat me, are you, Virgil?”

  “Course not. In Virginia, you can register an LLC with only the name of a registered agent. You don’t have to give the owner’s name like you do in Tennessee.”

  “You’re a genius. But you’re not as smart as I am.”

  “Why d’you say that? Of course I’m smarter than you.”

  “I figured out a way to make Jack sell his land.”

  “Do I want to know the particulars?”

  “Prolly not.”

  “Okay. Just don’t go getting crazy. First we gotta incorporate, and then we’ll buy the land. Right before we break ground, we’ll file the LLC in Tennessee, and we’ll have to list our names then because of Tennessee law. But we’ll draw that out as much as we can.”

  “Just as long as you list my name, Virgil.” Buford’s venomous tone traveled loud and clear to Virgil’s ears.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don’t put the cart before the horse.”

  “Virgil, you best not screw me out of my money, my friend. I gave that to you in good faith. I don’t take kindly to people who steal my money.”

  “Don’t worry, Buford. Nobody’s gonna cheat you out of your money.”

  “You best not. I can always make more Goose Juice.”

  Tess heard Ezzie barking in the back yard and opened the door to call her in. Ezzie came running, licking her chops like she’d been eating something.

  “What have you been eating, girl?” Tess bent down to see if anything was in the dog’s mouth, but Ezzie clamped her mouth shut and scurried off.

  Less than an hour later, Jack and Tess were reading in the den with Ezzie sitting between them, her head on Jack’s knee. Jack felt a wet spot grow where her mouth lay on his leg. He gently scooted her off the couch, and she landed clumsily and then staggered to a lying position on the floor.

  “Ezmeralda, are you okay, girl?”

  Tess put down her book. “Jack, what’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know. She was drooling up a storm on my leg. Now she’s not walking right.”

  Just then, Ezzie stood up, staggered a few steps, and vomited. Then her four legs appeared to give out, and she lay down again.

  “That’s not like her.” Tess went to get something to clean up the vomit. When she came back, Jack was bent over the basset hound. “Ezzie, want to go for a walk?”

  Only the dog’s eyes moved as she looked up at him, uninterested in moving.

  “That never fails, Jack. Something’s not right.”

  “I know. Call the vet. See if she’ll meet us at her office.” Jack picked up the dog and carried her, while Tess made the call and followed them to the car.

  The veterinarian met them at the door to her office and took Ezmeralda to the exam room.

  “She was licking her lips when I let her in earlier. Maybe she ate something she shouldn’t have?” Tess said.

  Dr. Baly wasted no time in looking over the dog. “Let me do some tests, and we’ll know within an hour what’s going on.”

  Tess and Jack sat with Ezzie across their laps as they waited for the results of the bloodwork.

  Finally, Dr. Baly gave them the news. “It appears she’s hypoglycemic and her pH is measuring heightened acid levels. I think it might be ethanol poisoning. Could she have gotten into some of your alcohol?”

  Jack shook his head. “Anything’s possible with that dog, but I don’t keep the alcohol down where she can get it.”

  “I’m going to put her on IV fluids and medication to alleviate central nervous system depression. I’ll do further tests to monitor her glucose level and keep an eye on her. I’ll call you in the morning.”

  “So you think she’s going to be okay, Dr. Baly?”

  The vet put a hand on Jack’s arm. "We're going to do everything we can for her, Jack. She’ll feel better after the IV fluids and rest, but I won’t sugarcoat it. Poisonings are serious, and we don't have a clue what or how much of it she consumed. All I can say is this is very serious. I'll monitor her closely and call you when I know something. I’m sorry, Jack. As grave as this is, I know it’s scary."

  Jack handed Tess the car keys.

  “What’s this for?” Tess asked.

  “You go on home and get some sleep. I’m staying with Ezzie.”

  Tess put the keys in her pocket but didn’t move. “I’m staying too,” she said quietly, putting her arm around her husband, patting his shoulder with one hand and Ezzie’s head with the other.

  Two days later

  Jack watched Ezzie roam around the back yard, her nose to the grass. He called her as soon as she’d done her business, and she came galloping to him.