was still within reach. Furthermore, such motive would apply equally to her own "eccentric" Aunt Bess, and one suspect in the family was enough.
Clem uttered a growl. "I don't frankly care who killed the bastard, as long as they stayed off my damn land while they were doing it! And the police had better stay off as well. Waking me up with their banging... lucky some heads didn't roll then, I'd say! Nobody trespasses on my land, understand?" He fixed his gaze on Leigh again. "Nobody!"
"Oh, leave her alone, you old coot!" Bess chastised, planting both hands on her generous hips. "She'll think you're serious."
"I am serious!" he bellowed.
"You're a pumped-up bag of wind!" Bess fired back. "You're just mad because you didn't hear the police coming. And because you didn't hear anything the night it happened, which we both know is because you're deaf as a post and too darn stubborn to get a hearing aid!"
Blue veins started to pop out on Clem's weathered temples, and Leigh's body tensed. Her Aunt Bess had always had a way with people—even crazy ones. But no one was perfect.
"Now, stop bullying my niece and get back on your own precious property and off of mine," Bess continued, her tone steely. "Before I start asking questions about how my extra gasoline cans keep going empty!"
Clem's gaze dropped like a rock. He scowled, swept up his shotgun, and stepped off the porch. Then he turned around and fixed Bess with another bug-eyed stare. "You'll tell me everything later, won't you?"
Bess returned a smug, conspiratorial smile. "Don't I always?"
Clem turned his back and stomped off.
Bess opened the door to her house and gestured Leigh inside, much to the delight of Chester, who burst from his captivity to spin around Leigh's ankles in greeting. "Would you like some tea, kiddo?" Bess offered, her voice merry.
Leigh shook her head. "Aunt Bess," she said nervously, "aren't you just a teeny bit worried about living next door to an armed lunatic?"
Bess's lips pursed. "Don't be ridiculous, Leigh. You've known Clem since you were a girl! He's perfectly harmless."
Leigh gritted her teeth. It was true that Clem had lived in the neighborhood even longer than Bess had, but the word "known" was an overstatement. In the last three decades, she might have glimpsed the man half a dozen times in the distance through the trees. His existence in her mind had always been on par with the wicked witch and the gingerbread house... smart children stayed out of his woods. Period.
"The man scared Hook's PR woman half to death!" Leigh retorted. "Sooner or later he's going to wind up in jail for brandishing a weapon like that."
Bess waved her hand in dismissal. "Clem's half deaf. He probably couldn't understand a word she said. But I agree he can't keep waving that fool gun at every person who bangs on his door. He couldn't hear with his telephone anymore, so he got rid of it. Idiot won't listen to me when I tell him there are devices—" She broke off suddenly. "What's up, kiddo? You didn't drive all the way out here to lecture me about the company I keep. I have your mother for that. Are Cara and Gil all right?"
"I wouldn't say Cara is," Leigh answered honestly, remembering the bags she'd seen under her cousin's eyes when picking up the kids this morning. "She's still terribly worried about Gil. But that's not why I'm here. I'm here because I want the animal shelter to build a dog park, and I need your help."
Leigh explained the plan, which Bess took to immediately. "It's a splendid idea!" she agreed. "But you'll need to talk to Anna first. She has to approve any structures built on the property—that's in the lease."
"I know," Leigh agreed. "That's why I need you. I was hoping you could introduce us. I met her a long time ago, at the shelter's grand opening, but I doubt she would remember me, and if she's a tough sell, I figured your influence couldn't hurt."
Bess puffed herself up. "Well, it's nice to know you give your old aunt credit for
Clem uttered a growl. "I don't frankly care who killed the bastard, as long as they stayed off my damn land while they were doing it! And the police had better stay off as well. Waking me up with their banging... lucky some heads didn't roll then, I'd say! Nobody trespasses on my land, understand?" He fixed his gaze on Leigh again. "Nobody!"
"Oh, leave her alone, you old coot!" Bess chastised, planting both hands on her generous hips. "She'll think you're serious."
"I am serious!" he bellowed.
"You're a pumped-up bag of wind!" Bess fired back. "You're just mad because you didn't hear the police coming. And because you didn't hear anything the night it happened, which we both know is because you're deaf as a post and too darn stubborn to get a hearing aid!"
Blue veins started to pop out on Clem's weathered temples, and Leigh's body tensed. Her Aunt Bess had always had a way with people—even crazy ones. But no one was perfect.
"Now, stop bullying my niece and get back on your own precious property and off of mine," Bess continued, her tone steely. "Before I start asking questions about how my extra gasoline cans keep going empty!"
Clem's gaze dropped like a rock. He scowled, swept up his shotgun, and stepped off the porch. Then he turned around and fixed Bess with another bug-eyed stare. "You'll tell me everything later, won't you?"
Bess returned a smug, conspiratorial smile. "Don't I always?"
Clem turned his back and stomped off.
Bess opened the door to her house and gestured Leigh inside, much to the delight of Chester, who burst from his captivity to spin around Leigh's ankles in greeting. "Would you like some tea, kiddo?" Bess offered, her voice merry.
Leigh shook her head. "Aunt Bess," she said nervously, "aren't you just a teeny bit worried about living next door to an armed lunatic?"
Bess's lips pursed. "Don't be ridiculous, Leigh. You've known Clem since you were a girl! He's perfectly harmless."
Leigh gritted her teeth. It was true that Clem had lived in the neighborhood even longer than Bess had, but the word "known" was an overstatement. In the last three decades, she might have glimpsed the man half a dozen times in the distance through the trees. His existence in her mind had always been on par with the wicked witch and the gingerbread house... smart children stayed out of his woods. Period.
"The man scared Hook's PR woman half to death!" Leigh retorted. "Sooner or later he's going to wind up in jail for brandishing a weapon like that."
Bess waved her hand in dismissal. "Clem's half deaf. He probably couldn't understand a word she said. But I agree he can't keep waving that fool gun at every person who bangs on his door. He couldn't hear with his telephone anymore, so he got rid of it. Idiot won't listen to me when I tell him there are devices—" She broke off suddenly. "What's up, kiddo? You didn't drive all the way out here to lecture me about the company I keep. I have your mother for that. Are Cara and Gil all right?"
"I wouldn't say Cara is," Leigh answered honestly, remembering the bags she'd seen under her cousin's eyes when picking up the kids this morning. "She's still terribly worried about Gil. But that's not why I'm here. I'm here because I want the animal shelter to build a dog park, and I need your help."
Leigh explained the plan, which Bess took to immediately. "It's a splendid idea!" she agreed. "But you'll need to talk to Anna first. She has to approve any structures built on the property—that's in the lease."
"I know," Leigh agreed. "That's why I need you. I was hoping you could introduce us. I met her a long time ago, at the shelter's grand opening, but I doubt she would remember me, and if she's a tough sell, I figured your influence couldn't hurt."
Bess puffed herself up. "Well, it's nice to know you give your old aunt credit for
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