Hopscotch Homicide (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 16) (2 page)

“Zoe, what are you doing here?” Virginia Wilson, one of the girls I’d attended this very elementary school with, asked as we crossed paths in the corridor connecting the playground and the parking lot.

“Scooter Sherwood is living with Zak and me. I came to register him for the upcoming school year. Is your Artie already in kindergarten?”

“He is.” Virginia beamed. “He’s so excited to finally be old enough to go to school with the other kids who live in our neighborhood.”

“Kindergarten is the best.” I smiled. “Are you having a case of empty nest syndrome now that your only child will be going to school?”

“Didn’t you hear?” Virginia grinned. “I had another baby. A girl. She’ll be ten months old next week.”

“I hadn’t heard. Congratulations.”

“If Scooter is going to be attending the school this year you simply must join the PTA with me. The first meeting is on Wednesday evening.”

“It sounds like fun, but I really have a lot on my plate at the moment. I’ll check my calendar and get back to you.”

“It really is important to be involved in your child’s education,” Virginia urged.

“Yes, I’m sure it is,” I agreed.

“Besides, Yolanda Snyder, the PTA president, wants to launch a new campaign to get rid of Mrs. Brown. You know she tried to get the woman fired last year but was blocked by Principal Bower. This year we plan to take our concerns to a higher level. I don’t want my Artie eating the slop she serves. Trust me, if it were up to Yolanda and me, the woman will be gone one way or another.”

“Yes, well, the food wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t that bad,” I commented.

I had no idea why I was defending the woman, except that now that she was dead, I found I felt bad for her.

“Not that bad?” Virginia laughed. “It was horrid and you know it.”

“Yeah, maybe,” I answered vaguely.

“You know,” Virginia added, “if you do speak to Yolanda about the PTA, you might ask her about the Boy Scouts for Scooter. It’s a good organization that can help teach our youth traditional values. I’ve signed my Artie up for Cub Scouts. Yolanda is the organizer for the area. She can get you set up with a troop for Scooter, I’m sure.”

“It sounds good, but Scooter has soccer. I’m afraid he’s already pretty busy.”

“An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” Virginia shook her finger at me as if she were scolding me. “It’s best to keep our children busy. You should at least look into it. In fact, there’s an informational dinner at the community center tonight. I remember Scooter from the last time he lived here. The child is in serious need of discipline. You really should plan to attend.”

“I’ll think about it. It’s been nice catching up, but I really am in a hurry.”

“I heard Zak is about to launch some new software that will revitalize the industry,” Virginia commented as I tried to scurry away.

“Yes, it launches at the end of the month.”

“I’d love to hear all about it.”

“And I’d love to tell you, but I’m in a hurry.” I stopped walking and looked at the woman. I really did need to get rid of her before I reached Salinger’s car. “Call me next week and we’ll have lunch to catch up. We can talk about the PTA then as well.”

“I’ll do that.”

She wouldn’t.

Virginia and I hadn’t been friends in elementary school and we weren’t friends now. I was certain the only reason she’d even stopped to talk to me was to try to get a juicy piece of gossip about the millionaire I’d married.

She hugged me and turned back toward the admin office and I continued to the parking lot.

It was starting to rain heavily by the time I managed to retrieve the blanket from Salinger’s squad car. When I got back to the spot where he was waiting with Mrs. Brown’s body, it had started to pour.

“What took you so long?” Salinger asked.

“I ran into Virginia Wilson.”

Salinger frowned. Virginia was famous in Ashton Falls for being both a gossip and a complainer. I wasn’t a bit surprised the sheriff knew exactly who she was. I was willing to bet she called the sheriff’s office to complain about one thing or another on a weekly basis.

“She doesn’t know what’s going on?” Salinger asked.

“No, I managed to get rid of her.”

“Good. That woman is a real thorn in my backside.”

“Doesn’t it seem odd to you that the lunch lady was on campus fully clothed in lunch lady attire even though there are no students to cook for?” I asked.

“I suppose she could have been preparing food to freeze, or maybe she was just stocking the pantry,” Salinger suggested.

“Maybe, but what was she doing out here on the hopscotch course?”

Salinger picked up a cigarette stub with a gloved hand. “I’m guessing she was taking a break.”

I frowned. I didn’t remember Mrs. Brown being a smoker. Of course she wouldn’t have smoked in front of the students, so maybe she had her secret vice and I just hadn’t known about it. After one of my best friends, Levi Denton, got a job coaching at the high school, I’d found out a lot of things about the faculty that I’d never have suspected. As a student, you view your teachers as beyond reproach, but I’d learned in recent years that the veil of perfection teachers tried to convey was often no more than an illusion.

Of course that wasn’t true of all teachers. Since Levi had been working at the high school I’d discovered that some of the faculty I’d most feared as a student were the nicest once you got to know them.

“Do you happen to know if Mrs. Brown has any family?” Salinger asked.

“Not that I know of. Her name is
Mrs.
Brown, so I imagine there is or was a husband in the mix. Principal Bower is in his office. I’m sure he can answer your questions about her personal life.”

Salinger looked up toward the sky. “You can go ahead and go. No use both of us getting soaked to the skin.”

I wanted to point out that it was a little late for that, but I really did want to go home to change into some dry clothes. Besides, I knew Zak and the kids planned to order pizza and watch a movie, and with all the rain, staying in sounded just about perfect.

“I’ll have a chat with Bower once I’m done here and call you if I have any additional questions,” Salinger added.

“You know where to find me.”

I left the campus and headed over to the high school gym to pick up Scooter from soccer practice. Normally practices were held outdoors, but with all the rain we’d been having lately the coach had decided to move things indoors. I still needed to confirm the snack schedule for the following month with the team mom, which is where I was headed when I was intercepted by Trenton Field, a local psychologist whose son Devon was on Scooter’s team.

“Kids are looking good,” I commented as Scooter dribbled the ball across the wooden floor and successfully kicked it into the net that had been set up at one end of the gym.

“They really are. It looks like you and Zak have done an amazing job with Scooter. He listens and follows directions, and he seems to get along well with the other kids. He seems like an entirely different kid.”

“Zak gets all the credit for that. He’s really taken him under his wing. I think all Scooter needed was an adult in his life who would provide a steadying presence.”

“That’s pretty much what most kids need.” Trenton looked around the crowded gym. “Can we chat in the lobby for a minute?”

Uh-oh. Those words were never good.

“Sure.” I plastered on a smile.

I followed Trenton to the gym’s lobby, where we would be alone. “What’s up?”

“I heard about Evelyn Brown.”

“How did you hear already?”

As far as I knew, Salinger was still at the crime scene, and other than the other emergency personnel who had been called in, no one else had been notified of the woman’s death.

“She was a client and I was listed as an emergency contact. One of the new deputies at the local office called and filled me in about what had occurred.”

“Mrs. Brown was in therapy?”

“I’m afraid I can’t say anything about her therapy, but I do want her killer found,” Trenton shared. “I can’t provide any specifics, but I know you like to investigate. If you do decide to work on the case it might serve you well to speak to Mike Parks.”

Mike was the groundskeeper at the cemetery.

“Do you think he might know who would want to harm her?” I asked.

“Like I said, I can’t tell you anything specific, but having a chat with the man could prove to be helpful. I suppose I could mention this to Salinger, but he’ll only push for information I’m uncomfortable providing. I figured you would take my suggestion for what it is, just a suggestion.”

“Okay, I’ll talk to him tomorrow. Any other helpful hints?” I asked as a loud cheer sounded from the main part of the gym. Someone must have done something awesome.

“Not for now. I’ll go back through my notes to see if I can find anything relevant. Evelyn had some issues, but she didn’t deserve to die the way she did. I do have certain therapist-patient limitations to consider, but I’ll help in any way I can.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that.”

I returned to the gym, where Scooter’s team had divided up into two groups for an impromptu scrimmage. Scooter had a lot of energy to spare and he put that energy to good use on the soccer field. While his tendency toward hyperactivity was a disadvantage in the classroom, it was proving to be a huge advantage when it came to sports. If his performance during this practice were any indication, it looked like he had secured himself a spot in the starting lineup.

When Scooter was finished with practice the two of us picked up a couple of pizzas and then headed home for a quiet night with the family. Trying to find a movie that appealed to a sixteen-year-old, streetwise computer whiz of above-average intelligence, a ten-year-old hyperactive boy of average intelligence, and a quiet ten-year-old girl with an IQ that exceeded even Zak’s, was a challenge. After quite a bit of negotiation the group decided on
Dumb and Dumber
. Go figure; even Alex was cracking up.

“This is nice,” I whispered to Zak, who was as entranced with the movie as the kids.

Zak’s dog, Bella, and my dog, Charlie, were sitting on the floor next to Alex, Scooter, and Pi, who were all lounging on bean bag chairs in front of the big-screen television. My cats, Marlow and Spade, even seemed to be watching the movie from the empty love seat next to where Zak and I were sitting.

Zak turned and looked at me. “Yeah.” He smiled. “It really is. I always wondered what it would be like to be from a big family.”

“Me too.”

Both Zak and I had been only children raised primarily by single parents.

“I wasn’t sure how Pi was going to fit in with the other two, but he seems to really enjoy hanging out with Alex and Scooter,” I commented. “At least to a point. I’m sure he’s anxious to make friends his own age, but he’s turning out to be a pretty awesome big brother.”

Zak shrugged. “I’m not surprised. Pi has been in foster care since his mom passed away. I think he missed having a family as much as I imagine anyone in that situation would miss a nurturing environment.”

“Did you talk to him about the whole hacking thing?” I asked.

Zak had first met Pi when he’d hacked into the computer system of one of Zak’s clients. Zak seemed to think he merely did it to attract his attention, but I wasn’t so sure. A person doesn’t learn to hack into a computer system with state-of-the-art technology unless he’d first practiced by hacking into other systems. If you asked me, it was something that was in Pi’s blood.

“I did. He understands the conditions I’ve attached to my offer to eventually make him a partner in Zimmerman Software. He knows he must finish his education and stay out of trouble. The deal I’m offering him is worth millions of dollars. In my opinion that should motivate him to keep his end of the bargain.”

“Did money motivate you when you were sixteen?” I wondered.

Zak frowned. “Actually, no. I mean, I’m sure I realized that having a lot of money would be nice, but when I was sixteen it really was about pushing the limits and trying to see what I could both do and get away with.”

I raised one eyebrow.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on the boy.”

Zak returned his attention to the screen and I returned my attention to the dark-haired boy I’d only met a few days earlier. I hoped Zak was right about him. He seemed happy to be here, but I still felt hesitant to relax completely. Although he’d dropped out of school prior to Zak taking him under his wing, he struck me as a well-rounded individual. Besides being a genius on the computer, he seemed to enjoy a wide range of literature and played the guitar better than anyone I had ever met. He somehow managed to pull off the perfect balance of nerdy genius and rock-and-roll heartthrob. I had a feeling the female population of Ashton Falls was going to be all over the dark-haired, dark-eyed motocross rider.

As Zak continued to enjoy the movie I glanced at Scooter, who was burping so loud as to drown out the sound of the dialogue. We really would need to teach the child some manners. Scooter was hyperactive by nature and I really could see why Principal Bower had been hesitant to give him a second chance. If it hadn’t been for Zak and his positive influence on his life, I don’t know what would have happened to the lost little boy.

When Zak first told me the blond-haired, green-eyed nine-year-old was going to be staying with him that first summer I’d thought he was nuts. But the boy had grown on me. When Zak had suggested that Scooter come to live with us I couldn’t have been happier.

And then there was Alex, who we’d met last Christmas, when Scooter had brought her home with him for winter break. The dark-haired, blue-eyed ten-year-old had two parents who I’m sure must love her in their own way, but they were academics who cared more about making the next big discovery in archaeology than they did about being the most awesome parents. I’m not sure any of the kids—or Zimmerman Academy, for that matter—would even be part of our lives without Alex. Prior to meeting and falling in love with her, I was certain Zoe Donovan and kids were things that didn’t mix very well, like oil and water. But Alex not only had opened my mind to the idea of being a parent, she’d opened my heart to the possibility as well.

“Other than finding Mrs. Brown’s body, how did things go at the school?” Zak asked.

“Scooter is all set to begin school next week,” I informed him. “And I ran into Gilda today. She asked me if Alex would be able to participate in the play the community theater is doing this fall.”

Gilda Reynolds owned the Bears and Beaver Gift Shop and was the director of the community theater.

“Alex did such a fantastic job in the Christmas play and she really seemed to enjoy it, so I thought I’d ask her if we can work out the logistics,” I added. “The rehearsals will be in the evenings, so it won’t interfere with school.”

“It’s fine with me,” Zak said. “I’m sure between the two of us we can juggle Scooter’s soccer games and Alex’s rehearsals.”

“Does it seem odd to you to be sitting here discussing potential scheduling conflicts for after-school activities?” I asked.

“Yeah, a little bit. But I’m excited to attend Scooter’s soccer games and Alex’s play.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Oh, here comes a funny part.” Zak returned his attention to the television screen.

I’d seen the movie before, and while there
were
funny parts, I wasn’t really into watching it again. I’d pretty much made up my mind to find something to read while Zak and the kids finished the movie when my phone buzzed. It was Salinger. I decided to take it in the kitchen so as not to disturb the others.

“Salinger,” I answered.

“Donovan.”

“What’s up?”

“The coroner found a button clasped in Mrs. Brown’s hand. Upon further examination of both the body and the crime scene, it appears she was attacked first in the cafeteria, where she was making hamburger gravy. There was a large pot of gravy, and because school doesn’t open until next week, I assumed she planned to freeze it until Jim Bower informed me that the freezer was old and in the process of being replaced.”

“So why the big pot of hamburger gravy?”

“I don’t know, and neither did Bower.”

“It could be a clue,” I asserted.

“Maybe. My guess is that Mrs. Brown struggled with her attacker in the kitchen and then fled the scene. It appears as if she was running across the blacktop when she was hit from behind. At first I was thinking a bat, but the coroner believes she was hit with a large rolling pin.”

“I guess that makes sense if the altercation began in the kitchen, and the fact that she ran explains why she was outside in the rain. Did you find the murder weapon?”

“No. At this point it’s just a guess that a rolling pin was the weapon. The size and shape of the wound fits that assumption. I’m guessing the killer took it with him. I doubt we’ll find it.”

It made sense that the killer would take the rolling pin. It would be easy enough to do. A rolling pin, unlike a gun, was a fairly inconspicuous item that could easily be hidden in plain sight.

“It seems like someone would have heard them if the skirmish went on for a period of time,” I added.

“The kitchen is in the back of the building, and it appears she ran out through the back door,” Salinger pointed out. “It’s unlikely anyone in the front would have realized anything was going on.”

“Did you find fingerprints or any other physical evidence other than the button?”

“No. Not yet, anyway.”

“And the button?”

“It appears to be a standard white button off a men’s dress shirt. I’ve sent it to the crime lab in Bryton Lake. Unless they can pull DNA off it I doubt it will end up helping us much.”

I had to agree with Salinger. If the button had been an odd shape or color or had any distinctive quality to it then maybe. But I suspected almost every male in town owned a dress shirt with standard white buttons.

“Did Principal Bower know Mrs. Brown was on campus today?” I asked.

“He said he didn’t. The kitchen has an exterior door. It appears Mrs. Brown accessed the kitchen from the parking lot reserved for the kitchen and maintenance staff rather than going through the main school building.”

“And the killer? Are we operating under the assumption that he or she accessed the kitchen through that door as well?”

“Unless we find evidence to suggest otherwise it seems a good guess. Neither the principal nor his secretary reported having seen or heard anything, although both said they were in the administration office the entire afternoon.”

I knew that office was at the front of the school building, about as far from the kitchen as you could get and still be on campus.

“Principal Bower told me there were other staff members on campus at one point. When I walked through the building on my way to see if Scooter’s teacher was in her classroom I didn’t see anyone, so I’m assuming everyone had left, but if there were teachers on campus earlier in the day maybe someone saw something.”

“I’m going to spend tomorrow talking to Mrs. Brown’s neighbors and co-workers. Maybe something will pop,” Salinger informed me.

I let out a long breath. “It sounds like this is going to be a tough one.”

“Yeah, it looks like it right now. Still, we really haven’t begun to dig. I’m sure a motive will materialize. I’ll see what I can find out about Mrs. Brown’s regular routine. If you hear anything let me know.”