Then she spotted the license plate.Louisiana.Maybe some member of the Parson family. She’d been expecting a call from the brother. An in-person visit was all the better even if unusual, considering the geography. Though she did wonder why they hadn’t gone to the sheriff’s office. Maybe because the only name she’d left was her own.
Vera shut off the engine, draped the strap of her bag over her shoulder and reached for her door, phone in her free hand. She would know soon enough. The man on the porch turned to watch her come up the walk. On cue the stink of vomit rose around her like a fog.
“I’m assuming you’re not lost. This would be an unlikely place to find yourself unless you’re looking for someone specific.”
He started down the porch steps to meet her. “I assume you’re Vera Boyett.”
She stopped a couple yards away from where he stood at the bottom of the steps, partly not to get too close to a stranger and in part because she stunk of puke.
“That depends on who’s asking.” Vera pulled up her recent call list and tapped Bent’s name.
“Larry Parson.” He thrust out a hand. “You left a message for me about my brother.”
“Hey, Vee.” Bent’s voice floated from the speaker of her cell as Vera shook the stranger’s hand. “I’m assuming you made it back from Nashville.”
“I did. Yeah. Listen, I’ve got a fellow named Larry Parson at my house. He’s driving a vintage, sort of orange, sort of rusty-yellow Volkswagen Bus.”
“A ’78. The best year for the Bus,” Parson put in.
Vera ignored the comment and studied the man as Bent explained he would be there in five minutes.
Five minutes would be pushing it, but knowing Bent he might just make it happen.
“You have some ID on you, Mr. Parson?” Vera slid her phone into her bag. As if the movement had stirred it up, the odor of vomit emanated anew from her clothes. She might not have time for a shower, but she definitely had to change.
Parson fished out his wallet and displayed his driver’s license, which confirmed he was who he claimed to be.
“Thank you, Mr. Parson.”
“Call me Larry. So you are Vera Boyett.”
“I am, and I thank you for coming. I’m going to ask you to please stay right here on the porch until the sheriff gets here. I have to go inside and change clothes.” She waved her hands at her attire. Too bad she’d decided to take her work-at-home garb up a notch since she was visiting the hospital. A simple T-shirt would have been far more forgiving than this silk blouse.
“Sure. Sure. But do you mind telling me what’s going on? I’ve been trying to reach my brother since Monday night, and he’s not answering his cell.”
Not surprising, since he’d likely been murdered by then. Vera would much prefer that Bent make the death notification.
Parson turned his hands up. “I mean, I’m guessing it’s not good since he’s out of touch. Is he in jail?”
“It would be better if you waited for the sheriff.”
“Oh hell.” Parson’s face tightened with pain. “He’s dead, isn’t he?”
“Please, Mr. Parson, I really need to change. My pregnant sister threw up all over me, and if I don’t get out of these clothes, I may do the same thing.”
He settled onto a step as if his knees had given out on him and put his head in his hands. “I told him this was a bad idea.”
As much as Vera was dying to know what Parson meant by the statement, she could not endure the smell of vomit any longer.
“I’ll be right back. Please don’t go anywhere, Mr. Parson.”
Vera started around him, and he looked up at her. “You don’t have to worry about that, lady. I’m not going anywhere until I know what happened to my brother.”
“Sheriff Benton will be here soon, and I’ll be back out in five minutes.”
Vera unlocked the door and stepped inside. She relocked it and reset the security system. She didn’t know this guy, and no matter that Bent was on his way, she wasn’t taking the risk. Bent could be delayed.
She climbed the stairs and headed to the bathroom. The cute silk blouse she wore came off first and hit the floor. Her shoes, slacks, panties, and bra followed. The smell clung to her skin. To hell with it. She had to rinse off. She clipped her hair up, adjusted the spray in the shower, and while the hot water made its way through the pipes, she raced to her room and grabbed a change of clothes.
