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Wanda Nell told them, not holding back anything. By the time she finished, Tuck’s face had gone white. Wanda Nell knew him well enough to know he was furious. His eyes blazed as he stared at her. Beside her, she could feel the same anger emanating from her son.

  Before either one of them could speak, she went on. “I went right over to Elmer Lee’s office and told him everything. He believes me, and he said he’s going to look into it.”

  “Good,” Tuck said. “What the hell is that jackass up to? There’s got to be something behind it.”

  “Besides the fact that he’s a raging homophobe?” Wanda Nell asked. “That’s the right word, isn’t it?”

  “It is, Mama,” T.J. said. Once again, he and Tuck looked at each other.

  “Okay, what’s going on?” she asked. “Is it something to do with Bill Warren?”

  Tuck nodded. “Yes, it is. I’m afraid we know exactly why he’s acting this way. And it probably explains some of the things that have happened to us lately.”

  “So what is it?” Wanda Nell asked, feeling her stomach knotting up.

  “We’ve spotted him a couple of times in a bar in Memphis.”

  Wanda Nell stared at her son. “So what if he was in a bar? What does that matter?”

  T.J. smiled grimly. “It was a gay bar, Mama.”

  Sixteen

  Wanda Nell stared at her son in disbelief. “Are you telling me Bill Warren is gay?” She shook her head. “That just don’t make sense to me. If he’s gay, why is he harassing you two?”

  “Because he’s so deep in the closet he’s behind the wallpaper,” Tuck said, half jokingly. “Seriously, though, Wanda Nell, it’s not unusual. Men like Warren who can’t accept being gay can be worse homophobes than just about anybody.”

  “Are you sure?” Wanda Nell asked. “Maybe he was undercover or something.”

  “He was out of his jurisdiction, for one thing,” Tuck said.

  “And for another, if he was undercover, he sure was enthusiastic about it,” T.J. said, grinning. “I don’t want to embarrass you, Mama, but if you’d seen him doing what I saw him doing on the back patio at that bar, you wouldn’t doubt it for a second.”

  Wanda Nell blushed as she tried to rein in her imagination. She didn’t want to even think about it. She also didn’t want to know what T.J. was doing out on that patio. Evidently a lot went on there.

  She had to clear her throat before she could speak. “Does, um, does he know you saw him there?”

  “We’re not sure,” Tuck said. “It’s a very popular place, and it’s usually packed.”

  “I’m pretty sure he didn’t see me when he was out on the patio that time,” T.J. said. “But he could have seen one of us inside the bar at some point.”

  “Was it just the one time?” Wanda Nell asked.

  “No, about three times, I guess, since the first of the year,” T.J. said.

  “He took over the district office here in Tullahoma in January. The first time I ran into him here in town was at a Rotary Club breakfast the first week of January, and T.J. was with me,” Tuck said. “It was back in late February when T.J. spotted him on the patio.”

  “Maybe he saw you two there but doesn’t think you saw him,” Wanda Nell said.

  “Could be,” Tuck replied. “But at the moment, I don’t think I’m going to ask him about it.”

  “No, but I think maybe you ought to talk to Elmer Lee about it,” Wanda Nell said.

  “Why?” T.J. asked. “What’s Elmer Lee going to do?”

  “It would at least be some insurance,” Wanda Nell said. “So if Bill tries to do anything against you, that way Elmer Lee already knows what’s going on, and maybe he can put a stop to it before it goes very far.” She paused, frowning. “But how can you prove he was there? And more than one time?”

  “Actually, that’s not a very big problem,” Tuck said, smiling. “Right, T.J.?”

  T.J. laughed. “Yeah. You remember that camera phone Tuck gave me for Christmas?”

  Wanda Nell nodded. “You mean you took pictures of him at that place? And he doesn’t know that you did?”

  “Yes, I did,” T.J. replied. “And no, I don’t think he knows about them.”

  “Then you better give them to Elmer Lee,” Wanda Nell said.

  “You’re right,” Tuck said. “I don’t like having to do it, but if attempts to arrest us, we’ll need some ammunition.”

  “I just thought of something,” Wanda Nell said, turning to T.J. “What made you take the pictures of him in the first place? That’s not something you normally do when you go to that bar, is it?”

  “No, of course not,” T.J. said, sounding indignant. “Look, by the time we saw him in the bar, we’d already run into him two or three times in town. It was pretty clear somebody had told him about us, because he made some derogatory remarks.” He shrugged. “So when I spotted him out on the patio doing what he was doing, I didn’t even think twice. I took the pictures, and I made sure he didn’t see what I was doing.”

  “Wasn’t there a flash, or something?” Wanda Nell asked. “I’m assuming it’s kind of dark on that patio.”

  “Yes, it is,” T.J. said, “but if you weren’t paying close attention you would probably think it was just somebody lighting a cigarette.”

  Wanda Nell shook her head. It was all pretty sordid, but when someone threatened her family, she figured they had to use whatever weapons were at hand to protect themselves.

  “Well, you just promise me you’ll talk to Elmer Lee today and show him those pictures, too.”

  “We will, Wanda Nell,” Tuck said. “I think you’re right. We can’t afford to take any chances.”

  “Why didn’t y’all tell me about any of this before now?” Wanda Nell asked with a frown.

  “We didn’t want you to worry, Mama,” T.J. said.

  Wanda Nell looked at him, and he shrugged. “I know, I know,” he said.

  “I’d rather know what’s really going on,” Wanda Nell said, “instead of imagining Lord knows what.”

  “Point taken, Wanda Nell,” Tuck said. “We won’t purposely keep things like this from you anymore, but you have to remember that we can take care of ourselves. We appreciate your support, but you don’t need to lose any sleep over us.” He smiled to take any sting out of his words.

  Wanda Nell sighed. “I know that, but you know how mothers are. We just can’t help worrying. We don’t ever want anything bad to happen to our kids.” She smiled back.

  “Getting back to the main subject here,” T.J. said with a frown. “What I don’t get is why Warren is so determined to pin this on Gerald.”

  “You still think Gerald didn’t do it?” Wanda Nell asked. “I hope he didn’t, because he seems like a nice boy. Plus, right now, if Bill Warren told me the sun was up in the sky, I’d argue with him it wasn’t. He makes me feel real contrary.”

  T.J. and Tuck both laughed at that. “No, I don’t think he’s guilty,” T.J. said, “and neither does Tuck. We just don’t have a clue right now who else might have done it.”

  “Didn’t you say you had something to tell us about your visit to old Doc Crowell this morning?” Tuck said.

  “Yeah, I sure did,” Wanda Nell replied. “You remember what Jack told you he saw?”

  “Yes, and what do you think it means?” Tuck asked.

  “They were making out in the parking lot,” Wanda Nell said tartly. “You want me to draw you a picture?”

  Tuck grinned, and T.J. laughed. “No, I get it,” Tuck said.

  “What about this morning, Mama?” T.J. asked.

  “Guess who Tiffany Farwell’s godfather is?” Wanda Nell asked. “Old Dr. Crowell, that’s who.”

  “Interesting,” Tuck said. “So the old man is her godfather, and the son has a decidedly unprofessional interest in her.” He shook his head. “But if Tiffany is in love with the son, why didn’t she just break off the engagement? Why would somebody have to kill Travis Blakeley to stop the marriage?”

  “
That’s what I want to know, too,” Wanda Nell said. “Maybe she was too afraid of Travis and what he might do.”

  “That’s certainly possible,” Tuck responded. “But if she was that afraid of him, wouldn’t she also be afraid of getting caught running around on him?”

  T.J. laughed. “You don’t know Tiffany, believe me. That girl has about as much brains as a clod of dirt. Thinking is not her strong suit. Knowing her, she figured she could get away with it, because that’s what she wanted to think.”

  “If she’s that dumb,” Tuck said, “why are these men so hot to trot for her?”

  “You haven’t seen her, have you?” T.J. laughed again. “She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen, let me tell you. And when guys catch sight of her, well, you can just imagine what part of their anatomy they’re thinking with.”

  “I see,” Tuck said. “That certainly explains a few things.” He leaned forward, his elbows on the desk. “But it still doesn’t explain why she just didn’t end the engagement.”

  “Maybe somebody should ask her,” Wanda Nell said. “You know her, T.J. Can’t you talk to her?”

  “Actually, I tried calling her,” T.J. said, “but she won’t return my calls. I thought for Gerald’s sake she might be willing to talk. But maybe I’m wrong about that.”

  Tuck stood up. “I don’t know about you two, but I sure could use something to eat right about now. How about it, Wanda Nell, can we take you to lunch?”

  T.J. stood also and held out a hand to his mother. Wanda Nell let him pull her to her feet. “Thank you, Tuck, but I’ve got a couple of things I need to do. And I really need to get home to check on Juliet. Y’all go on without me, but don’t forget about seeing Elmer Lee this afternoon.”

  “We will,” Tuck said. “I’ll have Ginger call and make an appointment before we go to lunch.”

  “Oh, before I forget,” Wanda Nell said, thinking about Lisa Pemberton. “Did Lisa call your office or come by?”

  “No,” Tuck said. “I thought she would, but she hasn’t yet.” He shrugged. “There’s still the afternoon.”

  “Yeah, I guess so, but it seems kind of odd to me. Nobody can make her do it, though.” Wanda Nell shook her head. “Y’all be careful. If I find out anything, I’ll let you know.” She headed for the door.

  “You be careful, too,” T.J. said, shaking a finger at her.

  Wanda Nell just grinned. She opened the door and left. She paused only to say good-bye to Ginger, and then she made a beeline for her car.

  She wanted to stop by to see Mrs. Culpepper and Belle. They might be having their lunch right now, and Mrs. Culpepper would be peeved at her for interrupting. “Too bad,” Wanda Nell muttered. She didn’t want to put off talking to her former mother-in-law, and it certainly wouldn’t be the first time the old battle-ax had been annoyed with her.

  Five minutes after leaving Tuck’s office, she pulled her car into the driveway of Mrs. Culpepper’s antebellum home, one of the oldest in Tullahoma. It was a beautiful place, full of antiques, but it had never felt much like a home to Wanda Nell. Mrs. Culpepper wasn’t exactly the happy homemaker type, and her late husband, old Judge Culpepper, had been a hard-drinking, woman-chasing tyrant. It was no wonder Bobby Ray, their only child, had insisted they not live there after they were married. He couldn’t wait to get out of that house.

  Wanda Nell proceeded up the walk to the front porch, what Mrs. Culpepper always referred to grandly as her “veranda.” She climbed the steps and crossed the porch to the door. She rang the doorbell and waited. After a moment, through the smoky glass she could see a dim figure moving toward her.

  The door swung open, and plump Belle Meriwether, Mrs. Culpepper’s cousin and now live-in companion, beamed at Wanda Nell.

  “What a nice surprise,” Belle said. “Honey, come on in here. It sure is good to see you.” She gave Wanda Nell a quick hug before shutting the door behind her.

  “It’s nice to see you, too, Belle,” Wanda Nell said. “I hope I’m not interrupting your lunch or anything.”

  “Oh no, we had that about an hour ago,” Belle said, still smiling. “You know Cousin Lucretia doesn’t sleep that much most nights, so she’s always awake early. I have to fix her breakfast around five-thirty, and then she’s real peckish again by eleven o’clock.”

  Wanda Nell was about to ask whether Mrs. Culpepper was resting after her meal, but a querulous voice emanating from the front parlor answered the question for her. “Belle! Who is it? If they’re selling something, send them away. I’m not feeding any more of those people so you stop asking them in for coffee.”

  “She’s having one of her cranky days,” Belle said, shaking her head slightly. “Of course, she was always more than usual cranky. I believe her mama once told me Lucretia was the most colicky child anyone had ever seen. And I guess it just goes to show what can happen when a colicky baby grows up.”

  As usual, Wanda Nell didn’t know quite how to respond when Belle darted off on a tangent. Pretty much any conversation with Belle consisted mostly of tangents, but she never seemed offended if no one responded. She was more than capable of carrying on a conversation by herself. Just like Lavon, Wanda Nell thought, trying not to smile.

  Belle turned and led Wanda Nell into the front parlor. “It’s Wanda Nell, Lucretia. She dropped by to visit with us. Isn’t that nice of her?”

  Mrs. Culpepper sat in her favorite chair, her eyes bright and her posture erect. Since Belle had come to live with her, Mrs. Culpepper had fewer and fewer encounters with Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam. She was a lot more alert these days, but Wanda Nell wasn’t totally convinced that was a good thing. The more sober she was, the sharper her tongue, in Wanda Nell’s experience.

  “I reckon you’ve come because you want something,” Mrs. Culpepper said. “That’s about the only time you come to see me.”

  “Now, Lucretia, don’t talk like that to Wanda Nell. You know how busy she is, having to work those two jobs and look after everybody.” Belle motioned for Wanda Nell to take a seat on the sofa near Mrs. Culpepper, while she sat a few inches away from her.

  “She ought to get one job that pays better,” Mrs. Culpepper said.

  Wanda Nell had heard this so many times it no longer bothered her the way it used to. “It’s nice to see you, too, Miz Culpepper,” she said, smiling sweetly. She knew it irritated the old battle-ax when she didn’t rise to the bait. She set her purse down on the couch between her and Belle and placed her hands demurely in her lap.

  “Where did you get that ring?” Mrs. Culpepper said, staring at Wanda Nell’s left hand. “Don’t tell me you went out and spent your hard-earned money on that. It must be worth at least five thousand dollars.”

  Wanda Nell stared down at the ring in surprise. She hadn’t really given much thought to how much the ring might be worth, because it really didn’t matter to her. What was important was the man who had given it to her and how much she loved him. Wanda Nell didn’t doubt Mrs. Culpepper was right about the value of the ring, because the old woman always knew the monetary value of anything.

  “That sure looks like an engagement ring to me,” Belle said, leaning forward to get a better look. “How exciting! When are you getting married, Wanda Nell? What can I do to help?”

  “Is that an engagement ring?” Mrs. Culpepper demanded in a harsh voice before Wanda Nell had the chance to respond to Belle. “What are you doing getting married again at your age?”

  “Yes, it is an engagement ring,” Wanda Nell said, determined not to let the old biddy get to her. She turned to Belle. “We haven’t set a date yet. Jack just asked me last night.”

  “You’re going to marry that schoolteacher fellow?” Mrs. Culpepper said. “Well, at least he seems like a sensible man, and he’s nice looking. But if you have to get married again, Wanda Nell, you ought to get yourself a man who makes more money than a teacher does.”

  “Lucretia Culpepper, what a terrible thing to say!” Belle was highly indignant, to say t
he least. “Wanda Nell isn’t some mercenary creature out for what she can get, and you ought to know that by now. She’s a good girl, and she deserves a nice man like Jack. Why, the very idea!” She sat, arms crossed over her chest, and glared at her cousin.

  “Oh hush, Belle,” Mrs. Culpepper said, her voice as tart as a fresh lemon. “The good Lord knows he didn’t give you the sense he gave a goose. I know that teacher is a nice man, I’m just saying it would be nice if he made more money so Wanda Nell didn’t have to work so hard. That’s all.” She sniffed loudly, glaring right back at her cousin.

  Wanda Nell’s irritation rapidly turned into amusement. The way the two women bickered was harmless fun, and she knew Mrs. Culpepper relished her verbal battles with her cousin. They were a satisfactory replacement for her tippling, or so Wanda Nell believed.

  “Jack is a wonderful man,” Wanda Nell said, trying to keep a straight face as the two older women continued to stare at each other. “I feel very lucky, and I hope both of you will wish us the best.”

  “Of course we will,” Belle said. “Won’t we, Lucretia?” She gave her cousin a pointed look.

  “Yes, yes,” Mrs. Culpepper said. “But I suppose you’ll be expecting an expensive wedding gift from me. Won’t you?”

  “If you want to give us a wedding present,” Wanda Nell said, “I can’t stop you. The main thing is that I want you both to come to the wedding. Whenever and wherever we decide it will be.”

  Mrs. Culpepper sniffed again.

  Before either of the older women could say anything, Wanda Nell decided she had better get to the point of the visit.

  “Actually, Miz Culpepper, I did want to ask you something,” Wanda Nell said. “Just for information, though, since you know so much about people in Tullahoma.”

  Mrs. Culpepper eyed her suspiciously. “Does this have anything to do with that man dying at that diner place where you work? I heard about it at church yesterday morning.”

  “It does,” Wanda Nell said. “You probably know that Gerald Blakeley has been arrested. Tuck is representing him, and none of us really think he did it. So we’re trying to figure out who else might have done it.”