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“Jolene told me she figured someone was following her on the way to town this morning.” Mrs. Mills pushed her glasses up from the end of her nose and leaned closer to Jenna. “She said the truck tapped the back of her vehicle coming down the mountain. It gave her a shock when they followed her right to the town hall, but when she turned in to the parking lot they drove on by.”
“We’ll need to speak to her.” Kane looked at Jenna. “I’ll head down to the general store and see if she’s still there.” He stared down at Mrs. Mills. “Can you give me a description?”
“She’s wearing a pink knitted hat, a green coat, and sturdy brown boots.” She waved him to the door. “She walked from the town hall, so she might be walking back to pick up her vehicle, or she’ll stop by Aunt Betty’s Café. Some of us go there after our meeting.”
Jenna looked at Kane. “Go, I’ll take care of things here.”
NINE
Zipping up his jacket against a freezing gale blowing from mountains still tipped with snow, Kane headed for the Beast, and almost tripped over Atohi Blackhawk, a Native American tracker and close friend. “Hey, sorry, I didn’t see you.” He pulled down his woolen hat over his ears.
“Has something clouded your eagle eye?” Blackhawk stepped back and looked at him with curiosity. “Or do you have something of great importance on your mind?”
Kane opened the door to the Beast and turned to his friend. “I’m hunting down an elderly woman. Do you need to speak with me?”
“Yeah. I’ll come with you. We can talk on the way.” Blackhawk walked around the hood and slid in beside him. “No Duke today?”
Kane shook his head. “Nope, he’s with Maggie at the office. We had to attend an autopsy today and Duke would rather be where it’s warm and Maggie supplies him with a constant supply of food.” He flicked him a glance and started the engine. “What’s the problem?”
“The harsh winter has caused a few rockfalls high up in the forest.” Blackhawk waved a hand toward the distant endless expanse of spring fresh green pine trees. “The ice has uprooted many of the pines and it’s widespread. There’s been subsidence and landslides are plenty. A mudslide caused by the removal of trees for the ski resort is possible. Rubble is rolling down the mountain and it’s only a matter of time. One day of rain and people are going to be killed.” He shrugged. “Mayor Petersham needs to get crews out to stabilize the areas north of Bear Peak before there’s another slide and the road is blocked completely. The service road to Glacial Heights Ski Resort has subsided and fallen down the mountain in a few areas too.” He blew out a long breath, filling the cab with steam. “I called the road alert hotline twice last week and not one crew has showed.” He shrugged. “I tried calling the town council offices and they informed me the crews were out on the highways. If there’s a mudslide, the houses along the north end of Stanton and anything in between will be buried. Unfortunately, Mayor Petersham doesn’t take calls from me. It will have to come from Jenna.”
Kane pulled in front of the general store. “Okay, I’ll speak to her.”
“Thanks.” Blackhawk smiled. “Now, how can I help you?”
“I’m looking for an elderly woman, pink hat, green coat. Someone tried to run her off the road.” He turned to Blackhawk. “You go right and I’ll go left.” He slid out of the Beast and headed into the store.
General stores always have their own distinct smells that change with each step through different aisles of products. Going right might have been in his best interest as going left took him through the bakery section. With his stomach growling like a grizzly, loud enough to turn heads, he scanned the store and then spotted a pink hat. Edging his way around customers, he sidestepped a screaming child demanding a candy bar, his cheeks wet with tears. When the child’s mother looked at him, she snatched up her son.
“See, you made so much noise, someone called the deputy.” The woman dabbed at the child’s face with a tissue.
Kane’s attention fixed on the pink hat moving away down another aisle but stopped to look at the little boy. “What’s up?”
The little boy’s eyes widened and he turned his face into his mother’s shoulder. Kane met the woman’s gaze. “Is everything okay here?”
“Yeah, it’s a battle to buy anything. Danny insists I buy candy at every store.” She hoisted the little boy onto her hip. “He’s already had candy once today.”
Glancing over the woman’s head to the bobbing pink hat, Kane dropped his attention to the little boy, who was now peering at him from between his fingers. “You be good for your mommy. Okay?”
When the little boy nodded and pushed a thumb into his mouth, Kane hurried away. He caught up with the pink hat just as Blackhawk turned into the aisle from the other end. They grinned at each other and the woman spun around and looked from one to the other. Holding up one hand, Kane smiled. “Jolene Darvish?”
“That would be me, yes, officer. I’m glad to see you.” Jolene Darvish glanced nervously at Blackhawk. “You see, I’m convinced someone is following me.”
The lavender perfume she was wearing shot him back to his own grandmother with such clarity it stopped all other thoughts in their tracks. Biting back a shudder of memory, he gave himself a mental shake. “Yeah, I know. Mrs. Mills told me, but it’s not Atohi. He’s a good friend of mine.” He walked beside her noticing the list of prices she’d been calculating as she selected groceries. “When you’re finished here. I’ll give you a ride to the sheriff’s office, all the quilting circle is there. I’d like to know more about the person who tried to run you off the mountain road.”
“That’s very kind of you.” She glanced at the list in her hand. “I only need a can of pumpkin soup, but if I forgo my coffee at Aunt Betty’s, I can buy two.”
Concerned about the frail old woman, Kane looked at the meager contents of her cart. “Are you all out of food?”
“Unfortunately, I am.” She gripped the shopping cart. “I’d put up preserves and sausages for winter and had enough to see me through May, but last night a bear got into my food locker and took everything. I’m lucky they didn’t kill a single chicken. I’d gotten a share of the meat donated to the shelter by hunters as many of us older folk do, and it was in the freezer but it took that as well. I put up preserves for people who have a glut of fruit or vegetables for a portion instead of payment. The bear has ruined everything.” She cut him a glance. “I’m not going to the shelter. I can manage well enough on my own. I have a small pension but nothing put away for a rainy day.”
The idea of a bear not raiding a chicken coop didn’t make sense. Something else was going on and he intended to get to the bottom of it. Kane smiled at her. “You remind me so much of my grandma. I miss her very much.” He sighed and shook his head. “In her memory, will you allow me to replenish your food locker. I’ll come by and check out the place and do any repairs you might need to keep it safe.”
“You are a very kind soul, Deputy Kane.” She smiled at him. “Yes, I know you. Mrs. Mills never stops talking about what you, and the sheriff, do to help people in our town. I can see in your eyes that I would hurt your feelings if I refused.”
Kane smiled at her. “I’ll fix up everything and have it delivered. Keep it in the house and I’ll make a time to come by and fix up the food locker as soon as I’m able.” He grabbed the cart. “Go with Atohi to my truck, I’ll be along shortly.” He tossed Atohi his keys.
He moved through the checkout and got the cashier to take his order, using the cartload of groceries for the kind of food she liked. He estimated what Jolene Darvish would need for a couple of months, added a few luxury items, gave them the address, and arranged the delivery. He hurried back to his truck and found Jolene Darvish standing on the sidewalk eyeing the Beast with skepticism. He smiled at her. “The delivery will arrive before noon tomorrow.”
