Murder Passes the Buck by Deb Baker Page B

been following me around, ” I said to her. “ That ’ s the car I spotted at the Escanaba River. ”
    Kitty loomed over us on the porch so I moved slightly away in case she lost her footing and fell. I was directly in line to have the life crushed out of me. I pulled Cora Mae along, too.
    Jeff, apparently wanting no part of a confrontation, turned back to the car. “ I ’ ll let you work this out. I ’ ll be waiting in the car. ” Then he coughed.
    “ That ’ s it, ” I shouted. “ That ’ s the voice of the guy who called my house and threatened to kill me and throw me to the fishes. That ’ s him. Call Blaze, Cora Mae. Go on. ” I gave her a shove toward the house. Kitty blocked the way.
    “ Settle down, everybody, ” she said. “ It ’ s
     
    not what it looks like. We were trying to help. ”
    “ Help what? Help kill me? Go on, Cora Mae. Don ’ t let Kitty stop you. Call for backup. ”
    Kitty spread her legs in a firm stance. Cora Mae looked at each of us, but didn ’ t move.
    “ We did follow you, ” Kitty admitted. “ It was all my idea. All I want to do is join the team and I thought if I followed you around and figured out what you were up to, I might have a better chance at the job. ”
    “ What does he have to do with it? ” I pointed at Jeff.
    “ He drove me around in his car because you would have noticed mine. ”
    “ He called and threatened me. ”
    Kitty looked uncomfortable and her eyes shifted to the left. A sure sign she was about to make up something.
    “ The truth, ” I insisted.
    “ Well … he did make the call. But only because I told him to. And I ’ m really sorry. I really am. I figured if you thought you were in danger, you might decide you needed me. ”
    I studied Kitty, and found myself believing her, as incredible as that seemed. What a desperate and lonely woman she must be
     
    to go to this extent to be included.
    “ Wait a minute, ” I said. “ You and your cousin destroyed my house. You broke in and slashed and smashed my things. You went too far. Cora Mae, call for backup. ”
    Kitty ’ s eyes widened, her face the color of silly putty. She shook her head. “ Oh no, I ’ d never do anything to hurt you. Neither would Jeff. Is it true? Did you really have a break-in? Honest, Gertie, you have to believe me. ”
    “ You didn ’ t break into my house? ”
    “ Cross my heart and hope to die, I didn ’ t. ”
    A moment or two of silence ensued while I considered Kitty ’ s believability and my options. “ I can ’ t pay you, ” I said.
    “ I understand and that ’ s okay. ” A broad smile lit up Kitty ’ s face. “ I can work full-time now, but if I get a paying job I ’ ll have to cut back my hours to weekends and nights. You won ’ t regret this, Gertie. When do I start and what do you want me to do? ”
    “ Tell Jeff to take off without you. Starting right now you ’ re my official bodyguard. ”
    Kitty almost fell off the porch. I wasn ’ t there to break her fall, but the bear hug she wrapped around me almost crushed me to death, anyway.
    “ Where are you going? ” Cora Mae asked.
     
    “ Escanaba ’ s the other way. ”
    “ Ray ’ s, ” I said, pulling into the general store ’ s parking lot and parking between the yellow lines. I was getting pretty good at driving. “ You coming in? ”
    “ Naw, bring me some chewing gum, ” she said. “ Juicy Fruit. ”
    Kitty grabbed hold of the open door and with a shove from Cora Mae, stood up. I walked past several parked trucks and recognized one as George ’ s. Glancing down at my clothes, I thought about saving this errand till later, but later isn ’ t a word I care for. It ’ s for slackers.
    I marched in with my bodyguard in hot pursuit.
    Ray ’ s daughter stood at the checkout counter waiting on customers. Ray was in the deli making hot sandwiches, wiping his hands on a stained white apron tied across the bulge of his belly. George lounged against the meat case, wearing