Page 62 of Rocky Ride

“We need to put surveillance time in on Darkers,” said Billy. “We can’t arrest him until we have a clear idea of what we’re arresting himfor. Breaching his private property on the say-so of Molly’s quilting group is pretty flimsy.”

Travis laughed. “Yeah, it is. I’d planned to do it tonight when the boys are on their dates but with the storm coming, I’m not sure any of that is going to work out. We have Mrs. Ellington’s funeral today. I want to be there to see who turns up feeling bad about her murder and who just turns up to test the waters.”

“Ted will be on Van Cedar,” said Billy, “and the boys are at the clothing store in Shelby with eyes on the driver of the Jag.”

“I think we’ve got it covered off,” said Travis.

Van Cedar Residence. Conrad.

Ted started his day of surveillance at the Van Cedar residence, and when Graham Van Cedar left for the day dressed in a suit and wearing an overcoat and hat, Ted put his truck into gear and followed.

Going in the opposite direction of his office, Graham took the ramp for the interstate and headed north.

When he took a left onto route two, Ted figured Van Cedar was going to Sandra Ellington’s funeral in Coyote Creek.

All the better. While he was at the funeral, Travis and Billy could keep an eye on him and Ted could catch up on work at the station.

Hoover’s Men’s Wear. Shelby.

Parked across the road from the suit store, me and Virge watched for the Jag driving out of the parking lot behind the store.

“Here he comes,” said Virge. “It’s ten o’clock. Is he on a coffee break?”

“No clue.” I put the Jeep in gear and got ready to go. “Let’s see where the liar is going.”

“Looks like he’s heading for Coyote Creek,” said Virge after we’d been driving for about ten minutes. “Maybe he’s coming to our station to turn himself in.”

I laughed. “That would be handy, wouldn’t it? Case closed and we wouldn’t have to do no more work on it.”

“I’ve heard of guilt getting the best of people,” said Virge. “Sometimes they even off themselves after they’ve killed a whole rack of people.”

“Suit guy didn’t strike me as one of those. He’s too high on himself to do himself any serious damage. I figure he looks in the mirror a lot. One of those guys.”

Following him through Coyote Creek, Hoover drove down Main right past our shop, turned the corner and parked behind the funeral home.

“He’s going to Sandra Ellington’s funeral,” said Virge. “Guess we’ll go too.”

“Copy that.”

Coyote Creek Funeral Home.

At eleven a.m. Travis and Billy sat down in the back row of the funeral chapel and waited for the service to begin. Looking across the sea of faces for anyone they recognized from the case, Billy noticed Mister and Mrs. Blake, Graham Van Cedar and a couple of the other neighbors from Kings Court.

“The boys just came in,” Billy whispered. “Their guy must be here and they’re watching him.”

“Huh. Lots of suspects all gathered here,” said Travis. “Be interesting to see who’s talking to whom at the reception afterwards.”

“Is the reception here?” asked Billy.

“Nope. Susan told me we were hosting it at the Inn.”

“Oh, a little fancier,” said Billy. “That might produce some results.”

“If we have eyes on all the suspects, the boys can go on home. They don’t have to hang around waiting for their guy to take off.”

“We’ll talk to them in the parking lot afterwards,” said Billy.

After the service, Travis told the boys they didn’t have to come to the reception at the Inn. They could go on home and do the chores, warm up the horses and then get showered for their big dates.

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