Fleece Navidad Part 11

"Run, Carl, run," Kelly called to her dog as he raced to the fence.

Saucy Squirrel, of course, was way ahead of him, sprinting nimbly along the top rail of the chain-link fence surrounding the cottage backyard. Carl charged the fence anyway, barking furiously, little white puffs of frozen dog breath forming into clouds.

This morning had arrived surprisingly chilly, much to Kelly's delight. She'd actually needed a warmer jacket when she went for her regular run along the river trail. Until today, the temperatures had hovered around the fifties, sixties, and seventies for two weeks, dipping into the forties and low thirties only at night. Today there was a hint of the inevitable Colorado Winter yet to come.

But where the heck is it?Kelly wondered. It was the middle of December, for Pete's sake. Nearly two weeks to Christmas and it didn't feel like the holidays at all.

She slid the gla.s.s patio door closed as she heard her cell phone jangle. Grabbing her coffee mug, she settled at her computer desk and flipped open the phone. Burt calling.

"Hey, Burt, how're you doing? Still setting up the bazaar?"

"That's why I'm calling, Kelly," Burt said, his voice sounding tired. "Can you round up the others and head to the bazaar to help Mimi? I'm going to be tied up all day and Mimi will need people to set up those booths. We've got everything out there, but we need helping hands."

Kelly mentally checked her work schedule. "Sure, Burt. I'll give the others a call. Megan already said her workload was slowing down for the holidays, and mine will be, too. I'm already signed up to work tomorrow, but I can work today as well. Maybe it'll put me in a holiday mood. The weather sure isn't doing it."

"Thanks, Kelly. I knew I could count on you folks," he said, sounding relieved. "I may be here all day."

"What are you up to, Burt? Did Mimi send you on errands?"

"I wish. No, I'm over here at the department. Marty's here, too." He let out a tired sigh. "Claudia's been brought in for more questioning."

Kelly sat bolt upright. "What kind of questions?"

"She's under suspicion for vehicular homicide in connection with the hit-and-run that killed Juliet Renfrow the other night. When they brought in Claudia's car the other day, investigators noticed damage to the front end of the car. They checked it out and found fibers caught on the grill. Crime lab matched them to Juliet's cape. They also found blood splatters on the hood and are checking those now."

Kelly stared ahead, unseeing. "Oh . . . my . . . G.o.d," she breathed at last. "Are you saying Claudia killed Juliet? Burt, I can't believe that."

"I have a hard time believing it, too, Kelly. But that kind of evidence doesn't lie. Listen, Dan's here now, and I want to talk to him. I'll call you later. Or Marty will. Talk to you later." He clicked off.

Kelly flipped her phone closed and stared out the patio door at Carl galumphing about the backyard.Good Lord. Claudia had auto theft charges filed on her in Florida, and now she was under suspicion in Colorado for vehicular homicide. What is happening here?

Kelly grabbed her empty mug and headed for the coffeepot on the kitchen counter. Had the ill-tempered Sheila been right about Claudia all along?

Kelly glanced down the crowded aisles of the holiday bazaar. It was late afternoon and people still cl.u.s.tered around the colorful booths that overflowed with gift items. Handmade candles, felted wall hangings, quilts, wreaths of evergreen and pinecones, and stuffed animals of every description covered the tables.

Other booths beckoned with homemade candies and cookies, sweet breads and ciders, jellies and jams. Kelly had already succ.u.mbed to homemade blackberry jam, her favorite. Heavenly.

Then, of course, there were the usual craft bazaar food booths selling pizza, cotton candy, hot dogs, chili, tacos, burritos. You could walk through the aisles and gain weight.

Kelly spotted Greg meandering through the aisle nearby. She waved to catch his attention. "Only a dozen gingersnap cookies left," she called, pointing to the foil-wrapped package nestled amid the colorful b.a.l.l.s of yarn on the booth's front table.

"Save 'em for me," Greg said as he approached, munching a slice of pizza. "Boy, this place is cookie central. Every other booth is full of Christmas sweets. I'm in heaven."

"That's pizza you're eating."

Greg grinned. "I've gotta clear my palate of all that sugar, right?"

"Is Lisa here yet? She's supposed to take over for me at four." Kelly checked her watch. "I've gotta get more shopping done. I'm way behind. Even Steve is ahead of me."

"Lisa's over at the fiber craft booth talking to a friend. You and Steve want to meet for dinner later tonight? Bazaar closes at eight, so Lisa'll be finished by then."

"It all depends on how many presents I can find." Noticing another familiar face heading toward the booth, she waved. "Hey, Marty. I was hoping you'd come by. I've got a lot of questions."

Marty strolled up, dark overcoat over his arm. "Hey, where'd you find the pizza?"

"Two booths down." Greg pointed. "Why're you still suited up? Lawyers don't work Sat.u.r.days."

Marty smiled. "Today I've got a client who needs a lot of help."

Greg nodded, suddenly serious. "Sounds like the woman Lisa was talking about."

Kelly leaned over the front table. "Burt said the cops found Juliet's cape fibers on the grill of Claudia's car."

"Whoa, not good," Greg said.

"Have they found anything else?"

Marty loosened his tie. "Yeah, they also confirmed Juliet's blood is splattered on the hood. The police think Juliet was knocked on top of the car when she was first hit, then thrown onto the street when the car braked."

"That is so awful," Kelly said softly.

"Yeah, I know," Marty said. "And to make it even worse, police found tire skid marks on the street that indicate the car was parked, then took off fast. The driver gunned the engine."

Kelly flinched. "Oh, no . . . that means it was deliberate, right?"

"I'm afraid so," Marty said with a sigh.

"Man, it sounds like that woman is guilty of murder," Greg said. "What's going to happen now?"

"Well, Claudia maintains she's innocent," Marty replied. "Says she never even met Juliet Renfrow and didn't know her at all. And she swears she was in her motel room all night. She didn't go out. Of course, she has no witnesses to back her up. Lizzie was there earlier in the afternoon, but left before eight o'clock."

"How's Claudia taking this?"

"Not well. It was all Burt could do to keep her from breaking down when the police made the allegations and read the list of possible charges. She was nearly hysterical."

"You know, Marty, I find it hard to believe that Claudia would deliberately kill Juliet Renfrow. I mean, Lizzie said Claudia didn't even know Juliet. Besides, Claudia was in hysterics all day at her motel, according to Lizzie."

"Maybe Claudia's lying," Greg suggested. "Maybe those hysterics are all an act. Maybe she's a good actress and is playing helpless to get sympathy."

Kelly pondered what Greg said. "That's possible, Greg. I've met convincing liars before. And they all seem to be good actors. Or actresses."

"I guess we'll find out," Marty said with a sigh. "Regardless, Claudia's my client and I'll do my best to keep her out of jail." He glanced down the aisle. "Man, I'm starving."

"When aren't you?"

"Pot calling the kettle black?" Kelly teased.

"Where's that pizza again?"

"Two booths down on the right." Greg pointed. "Kelly, let me pay you for those cookies now."

"Hel-lo! Did I hear cookies?" Marty made a quick about-face. "Where and what kind?"

"Dude, they're mine, so back off," Greg warned, reaching for the package.

Kelly got there first. She s.n.a.t.c.hed the package and held it over her head. "Hey, how about an auction? Cookies go to the highest bidder."

"No fair! You promised them to me," Greg protested.

Marty was already reaching for his wallet. "Ten dollars."

"Homemade gingersnaps," Kelly tempted. "Made with my own hands. Aunt Helen's famous recipe."

"All right, all right. Fifteen dollars," Greg countered, reaching into his back jeans pocket.

"Twenty." Marty offered, removing a bill.

Greg pulled out his wallet. "Man, this is so unfair."

"Stop whining. It's for a worthy cause. Christmas presents for kids of incarcerated moms," Kelly said.

"In that case, thirty." Marty opened his billfold again.

Greg leaned closer to Marty. "Nice wallet. Italian?"

Marty nodded, then grinned. "Yep. A screaming deal, too. Lemme have the cookies, and I'll give you the website."

"Naaaah. I'll find it on my own." He flourished two twenty-dollar bills. "Forty. And that's all I've got, Kelly. In the name of all the baseball greats, gimme the cookies."

"Too bad for you," Marty countered. "I can pay more. You shouldn't have bought the pizza."

"You take credit cards?" Greg fished through his wallet.

Kelly laughed, giving Lisa a wave as she approached. "Okay, okay, I'll make you guys a deal. I'll divide up the cookies for twenty bucks each, okay?"

"Fair enough," Marty said, handing over a twenty. "Worthy cause."

"Yeah, I guess," Greg agreed, dropping a bill on the table as Kelly unwrapped the package. "You don't mind if I watch. Marty might grab one."

"Are you guys fighting about food again?" Lisa asked as she joined them.

"Who, us?" Marty looked astonished.

"Hey, Kelly, I just had a call from Lizzie. She's going over to Claudia's place again. Keeping her company tonight like she has been."

"Has Lizzie heard the news about Claudia?" Kelly asked as she rewrapped the divided cookies.

"Yeah, Mimi told her. But Lizzie's still convinced Claudia's innocent."

"See, that's one person," Marty said, accepting the cookies. "Now all I have to do is convince a jury."

Lisa shook her head, blue and green scarf dangling around her neck. "I don't know, guys. It's hard to know what to think."

Kelly handed Greg his package and glanced at her friends. "That makes two of us, Lisa."

Twelve.

Kelly glanced around the exterior surroundings of Claudia's motel as she knocked on the door. Sheila was right. Seedy was a good description of the Happy Traveler Inn. Cars were parked in a cl.u.s.ter across the broken concrete from the rooms themselves. A scrubby excuse for a hedge ran the length of the walkway beside the motel. Obviously a previous owner had made an attempt to m.u.f.fle the noise of the interstate highway nearby.

The door opened a fraction and Lizzie peeked through the opening. "Oh, Kelly, come in! Come in! Claudia will be so glad to see you," she said, holding the door wide.

"I thought you ladies might like some hot cinnamon rolls for Sunday morning breakfast. I even brought coffee," Kelly said as she entered the small room. She spotted Claudia sitting in a straight-backed chair beside the television set in the corner.

"Oh, that's lovely. How thoughtful of you, Kelly. Isn't it, Claudia?"

A pale Claudia answered in a soft voice from across the room. "Yes, thank you."

No designer suit this morning. Today Claudia wore a dark blue tailored shirt over navy pants. Kelly had never seen her look so somber. Claudia barely resembled her former vivacious self. She sat slumped in a chair, unsmiling, and barely made eye contact. She also appeared to be wearing no makeup, which was unheard of for a woman like Claudia, who prided herself on her appearance.

Kelly deliberately sought Claudia's gaze and gave her an encouraging smile. "I thought I'd give you ladies an update on the holiday bazaar. Lisa, Megan, and I took turns manning the booth Sat.u.r.day, and we're going back today. Mimi has her hands full supplying both the Lambspun booth and the fiber crafts booth. I swear, we must have sold over eighty sets of hats, gloves, and mittens yesterday."

She handed one of the warm pastries to Claudia and placed a carryout cup of coffee on the table beside her. Claudia glanced up, and Kelly saw her struggle to produce a little smile.

"Thanks, Kelly. That's . . . that's sweet of you."

Kelly pulled out a chair for Lizzie and settled herself on the edge of the bed. "You'll both be pleased to know that your knitted hats and mittens were some of the first purchases. Superior quality, no doubt."

Lizzie smiled obediently as she toyed with her coffee cup. Claudia had touched neither pastry nor coffee. Kelly took a deep drink of her own coffee, searching for the right words to say what she wanted to say. Finally, she simply blurted out her feelings.

"Claudia, I can't tell you how sorry I am about your, uh, your legal situation. I wish there was something I could do to help, but . . ." Her voice trailed off.

Claudia looked up and stared directly into Kelly's eyes. "You've already helped, Kelly. You found wonderful young Marty to represent me. He's an excellent lawyer and smart as a whip, too. He'll save me. I know he will." Claudia nodded with fervor, her eyes alight.

Kelly felt her heart squeeze. No matter how smart or how fine a lawyer Marty was, he couldn't change the facts in the case. Claudia looked guilty as h.e.l.l. And Lawyer Marty couldn't "save" her from the facts.

Since Claudia had already opened that door, Kelly decided to walk right through it. "Marty said you told him you never left the motel that night."

"I didn't, Kelly. Please believe me!" Claudia swore earnestly as she leaned forward. "I never left the motel. Besides, I don't even know that woman, Juliet Renfrow. I've never even met her."

"When did you leave that evening, Lizzie?"

Lizzie stared at her cup. "I left around eight o'clock or so. It was getting close to my bedtime, I'm afraid." She glanced up with a contrite expression. "Oh, how I wish I'd stayed later. Then Claudia would have an . . . an alibi, isn't that what they call it?"