Free Touch-Me-Not by Cynthia Riggs Page B

driving past, Chief, thought I’d stop in to see if the work Sparks did is okay.”
    “You know where the breaker box is,” said Casey.
    She sat down again, as did Howland. LeRoy went to the far wall and opened the metal circuit-breaker box. He checked the breakers and listened to the conversation.
    “Where did you get the computer?” he heard Casey ask.
    “Saw an ad posted on the bulletin board outside Cronig’s,” said Howland. “The guy I bought it from got it from Sparks. He couldn’t make it work, so he sold it.”
    LeRoy dropped the screwdriver and it rolled on the linoleum floor in a half circle, making a clicking sound.
    Casey called over her shoulder, “How does it look?”
    “Everything looks fine.” LeRoy bent over and picked up the screwdriver and put it into his pocket. “Mr. Atherton, did I hear you say you’d bought Jerry Sparks’s computer?”
    “That’s right.”
    “I’ve been trying to track it down. I didn’t realize he’d sold it.” LeRoy closed the breaker box. “I gave him the old office computer when I bought a new one for Maureen. Then after I let Sparks go, I wondered if he had work-related stuff on it.”
    “Be glad to let you check it out. It’s in my car. I was taking it to The Computer Lab for a tune-up.”
    “Kind of presumptuous of me, but any chance I can borrow it for a few hours? I’ll bring it right back.”
    “No problem,” said Howland.
    “And, Mrs. Trumbull, I’ll stop by later this week and work on that outlet. Don’t use the electricity in that room until I take care of it.”
    “Thank you,” said Victoria.
    Howland and LeRoy went out to the parking area, past the ducks, which moved aside to make way for them, and LeRoy transferred Howland’s newly acquired computer to the back of his van.
    “Appreciate this, Mr. Atherton,” said LeRoy.
    Casey stood in the doorway. “Again, thanks, LeRoy.”
    “Part of the service.” LeRoy wiped his hands on his handkerchief.
    “I’m sorry you had to let Sparks go,” Casey added.
    “He’d been a good worker before he got into drugs.”
    “It’s a serious problem.” Casey shook her head.
    LeRoy said, “Thanks for letting me borrow your computer, Mr. Atherton. Want me to return it here to the police station when I’m done?”
    “Sure. That would be fine.”
    “Be seeing you, then,” and Leroy took off.

C HAPTER 11

    Around 9:30 that same morning, Monday, the phone rang at the Watts’s house. Sarah figured it was that woman caller again, so she let it ring. Or maybe it was Roy. Well, he can wait. Wonder where he spent last night? On the fifth ring, before the answering machine kicked in, she set down her knitting and picked up the phone, ready to tell either her or him a thing or two.
    “Well?” she answered.
    “Mrs. Watts? This is Joanne, the secretary at the West Tisbury school.”
    Sarah immediately readjusted her thinking. “The twins? Has something happened to the twins?”
    “The boys are fine, but you need to come in right away. We tried to reach Mr. Watts, but he was out of the office and his office manager didn’t seem to know how to reach him. Shall we say twenty minutes or so?”
    “Yes,” said Sarah. “Of course. What’s the matter?”
    “I’m sorry, Mrs. Watts. I can’t discuss it over the phone,” and Joanne disconnected.
    Sarah dialed LeRoy’s office. The answering machine kicked in. “You’ve reached Watts Electrical. . . .” She slammed down the phone. Maureen must be away from the shop.
    She went into the bedroom and changed quickly from her sweats to jeans and a long-sleeved blouse with an old-lady floral print. She dabbed on lip gloss, which she seldom used, ran a comb through her thick hair, curled tightly in the humidity. She tied it back with a black ribbon so she would look more serious, then decided to change out of her jeans and into black slacks. She tried calling LeRoy’s cell phone, got the robotic voice that told her to leave a message, asked LeRoy to