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***
The cops were gone by the time we’d finished hiding the evidence, and returned to my cabin. My fear that I was next to be searched turned out to be unfounded. The cops were nowhere in sight, so Fred and I went down to see if they had gone into Bo
The flowerpot didn’t look like it had been moved, for it was still covering the stain on her deck. Then I noticed a latch and padlock on the door. On closer examination, I saw where they had forced the door open, making it impossible to lock securely. At least they had the decency to jury rig a lock so no one could simply walk in. The key under the flowerpot would be of no help now, so all I could do was peek through the windows to confirm what I already knew. They had gone through her kitchen cabinets, and moved the living room furniture. I couldn’t see into the bedroom, but could imagine the mattress on the floor, and all of her dresser drawers open. There was no longer any doubt in my mind that someone was trying to frame Bo
***
I sneaked into Bo
“Someone is trying to frame me?” she asked. I had guessed correctly that Margot would not be up this early, though, I didn’t count on the head nurse at the nurses’ station telling me to come back at visiting hours. I had pretended to leave, then came back from the hall on the other side of Bo
I held my finger to my lips in the universal sign to be quiet when she had asked the question too loudly. “It’s the only logical explanation,” I whispered. “Why else would they put the two things in your house that can tie you to Shelia’s murder and then call the cops telling them where to find the evidence?”
“That sounds like my nail file, but are you sure it’s her book?”
“She wrote ‘Property of Shelia Clancy’ on the inside cover.”
Bo
There was an extra pillow on the empty bed next to her, so I took it, and the one on the floor, and put them behind her head. “I’m pretty sure I know who the gray haired lady is, and you’re not going to like it,” I said once she’d settled back down.
“Oh, and who would that be?”
“I think you already know.”
Bo
“I didn’t say she killed anyone. I still think Craig did those dirty deeds. But she fits the description perfectly of the person who broke into your house to frame you.”
She put the bottle back on the bedside table before answering. “It’s not her, Jake.”
I took a deep breath and held it for a minute. “Okay, Bon Bon, I really don’t care anymore. I just need to get Julie’s book and ring from whoever took them.”
“What about Shelia’s book? You’re not going to leave it out in the weather are you?”
“It’s wrapped up in the best plastic money can buy. I buried it in a grocery bag. Those bags are supposed to last a thousand years in the landfill, so it should be okay for a few days. I’ll get it when I’m sure the cops aren’t coming back.”
I expected her to mention the nail file, too, but she caught me completely off guard. “I need you to do me a couple big favors, Jake.”
“The last time you asked that I committed a crime hiding state’s evidence. What kind of felony do you want me to commit this time?”
It was good to see her color had returned along with her smile. “Would you fix my front door for me?”
“Consider it done. What’s the other favor?”
“Sneak me in some cigarettes. I’m going to die if I don’t get one soon.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” I lied. I had no intention of feeding her addiction. “Now tell me all you know about Patty.”
“The gray haired woman wasn’t Patty, Jake.”
“How can you be so sure? I’d bet my next paycheck, if I ever get one, that it was her.”
Bo
***
I was so sure it had been Patty who planted the evidence to frame Bo
This narrowed my list of suspects to one: Craig Renfield. I suppose he could have dressed up as an old lady to throw off anyone who had been watching Bo
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Removing the lock on Bo
My original idea to install surveillance cameras went south when I saw online how much it would cost, so I came up with a low-tech solution that would make MacGyver proud. Bo
To complete the system, I took an old camcorder I hadn’t used in ten years and plugged its power adapter into the second outlet on Bo
Now that I was set to catch whoever had tried to frame Bo
***
By Monday morning, Fred and I were ready to visit Appleton’s cabin and look for my property. This time I wasn’t going to park my car anywhere near the scene of the crime where some nosy neighbor could get my license number. In one of my more inspired moments, I decided I would park a mile or two away, and ride my mountain bike the rest of the way. Poor Fred couldn’t ride of course, so he was in for some overdue exercise. At least, that was the plan until I saw a Mercedes SUV come up my road. It had to be the author from the book signing, for although those rigs were not uncommon in the more affluent neighborhoods of Evergreen, their owners rarely ventured this far up a dirt road unless they were selling real estate.