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“So why come to me?”
“See… the only information the detective had about the partner in crime was that he worked in a bar on Broadway… Nudies to be exact.”
“Hold it. Are you saying he worked there back then or now? And what makes her think it’s Nudies? There’s a lot of honky-tonks been around for twenty years.”
Linda thought about his question before she answered. “Honey couldn’t tell for sure, but she thought from the way the detective framed the words, he believes he’s been around Nashville on and off since the incident, and that he’s a musician. And Honey saw Nudies circled on a list of bars they had attached to their charts. We both know a lot of the young guys played in different bands back in the day, and a few actually stuck it out.”
“Hell, girl, musicians move around so much, it could be any number of groups. Besides, the players are always quitting and hiring new people. Look at Country Heaven, Matt’s band that Luke’s with now. They had Zed for a long time as their lead singer. And when he went off the rails, they took on Luke. I can tell you a number of groups who’ve disbanded and then reorganized with new members.”
Linda looked defeated. “I know. It’s almost impossible, isn’t it? But I’d hope if anyone could remember a rebel in trouble twenty years ago, it would be you.”
“What’s the dead man’s name? The one who recently died?”
“Honey never mentioned his name, but I have a customer who’s a nurse at the same hospital where he’d been taken. She told me about a convict with pancreatic cancer who’d passed on about a month ago. At the time it meant nothing other than something to gossip about. But she came in yesterday, and I brought the subject up again and asked her his name. I pretended to know someone with the same cancer who had passed on at the same hospital. When she said he was Harv Branson, I wrote it down.”
“Harv Branson?” Hamilton’s complexion paled. He stood up abruptly and turned his back as he went to refill the kettle. His next words came out muffled. “No-ope. Name doesn’t ring a bell.”
Linda felt the sudden tension. But before she could follow up, another knock at the door heralded more company. “I’ll get it, Ham.” She left him leaning on the counter, his fists clinging to the edge. She could swear his eyes were closed, and his body trembled.
When she opened the door to see Luke leaning against the porch post, she almost cried with relief. “Oh bless you, Luke. I’m so glad you’re here. I think I’ve upset Ham, and I’m sick if I have.”
“Why? What did you say to him?”
“I asked him about a twenty year old murder, Honey’s sister Katrina.”
Luke instantly came to attention. “I thought they never caught the guy who did that crime?”
“That’s just it. She recently got news that one of the murderers confessed.”
“One of the murderers. There were more?”
“Harv Branson had a partner.”
Luke straightened as if he’d taken a bullet. “Sweet Christ. No wonder Ham’s upset. He’d taken that loser under his wing around the same time he started looking out for me and a few others. I was new on the scene but there were a lot of crazies back then, young kids looking for a cushy life. Ham had gotten himself clean and would hold out a hand to anyone needing help, especially his own family. Even started an addict’s group session in the back room of one of the old taverns shut down now.”
Hamilton’s hoarse voice suddenly reached them. He had come into the living room to see who else had come calling.
“I knew it’d be you, Luke. But we not talking about this here shit no more.” Hamilton’s shuffled walk seemed more painful than usual.
“Why, Ham? You had nothing to do with any murder.”
“No, but someone I care about maybe did. Someone I know who’s paid his debt to society. I ain’t saying nuther word.”
Luke’s warning gaze toward Linda had her secretly nodding back at him. She took his alarm seriously, especially after seeing the affect that name had on Hamilton.
Luke led the way back to the kitchen. “Fine. Let’s talk about the Titans. Football’s always good conversation.”
Ham trailed behind; his tone gruff. “Okay then. You can come in but I ain’t sharing my corn muffins. Linda baked ‘em for me. You go buy your own.”
Luke lifted the brown bag he’d been carrying. “Why you old skinflint. Then I might have to hide the hamburgers and fries I picked up at the new ‘In & Out’. Got enough for an army so Linda please join us.”
Suddenly, Ham piped up, “Fine. I’ll share.” He waved them forward, his expression brightening as he hustled back into the kitchen. Before Linda could follow him, Luke held her arm to stop her moving. In a lowered voice, he said, “We have to talk about this bombshell you just dropped.”
“Sure. But I’m all for the hamburgers first.”
“Okay, fatty. Lead on.”
She swatted him first, but her grin said it all. This handsome grump could get away with anything.
