1 Death of a Garden Hoe

  An Olive Branch Mystery

  Episode #1

  Death of a Garden Hoe

  by

  Gale Borger

  Death of a Garden Hoe

  An Olive Branch Mystery #1

  An Echelon Electric Short eBook

  First Echelon Press Publication / March 2011

  All rights Reserved.

  Copyright © 2011 by Gale Borger

  Cover Art © Karen L. Syed

  Echelon Press

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  Laurel, MD 20723

  www.echelonpress.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address Echelon Press LLC.

  eBook 978-159080-827-6

  Published by Echelon Press LLC.

  Chapter 1

  "A car thief, a know-it-all, a hooker, a spoiled rich boy, and an ex gang banger." Olive Boothe rubbed the back of her neck as she read the work list for the day. "Geez, are kids getting worse or am I getting old?" She left her office and stepped out the door.

  The Olive Branch Garden Center did double duty outside White Bass Lake, Wisconsin. Ollie Boothe did a brisk business selling plants and offering many garden services. The Olive Branch was also a home for kids at risk. Teens sentenced by the courts lived there. They worked off time ordered by a judge at the garden center, in town, and around the county.

  Ollie looked over the bored looking kids in her yard and smiled. "How is everyone this morning?"

  Three of the boys ignored her. The girl turned her back on everyone. The kid on the end who called himself Pone looked up and down the line. He crossed his arms and scowled. "Any time spent in meatspace with two llamas, a hoe daddy, and a garden ho ain't cool in my book. All this nature is givin' me hives. Find me an outlet, and log me on."

  Short and lean, with tattoos up and down both arms, and a bad attitude, Shroom faced him. His ice blue eyes contrasted with his light brown skin and black hair. "You disrespectin' us is not going to make the time go faster, Pone. Speak English and leave that gaming crap in the hood, Bro."

  The kid in the middle laughed. "Now that was funny! The gamer and the banger, hah!"

  The girl turned and shoved him forward. "Bean, you think dog poo is funny. Shut up or go lay down by your dish."

  Bean smiled. "Woof."

  Ollie slapped her hand against the clipboard. "Knock it off, all of you. Come over here and pick up your work slips for today."

  The teens wandered over. Ollie handed a slip to the gamer. "Pone, you, Shroom, and Bean weed and mulch the flower beds at the fire house. And Spaz?" the girl jerked her head toward Ollie, but did not speak. "You will replant the window boxes at the library that Bean messed up on Monday."

  Bean looked at his feet, and Spaz almost smiled. She shoved him again. "You are an epic loser, Beaner."

  Bean pushed his bangs out of his eyes. He took her work chit from Ollie and waved it in the air. "That is just part of my charm." He batted his eyes at the girl. "You know you like me."

  Spaz snatched the paper out of his hand. "In your dreams, moron." She walked away.

  "Enough," Ollie said. "Cash, you take care of the park entrance today. The bricks will be waiting when you get there. Throw out the bad ones and replace them with the new bricks.

  Cash gave her a wide grin. He ran a hand over his perfect hair. His bleached white teeth flashed in the morning sun. He took his chit from Ollie. "Sure." Cash picked up his sunglasses and slowly slid them on his nose. He climbed into his sleek, black truck and gunned the motor.

  Bean poked Shroom. "Holy cow, are those shades Oakley Trons?"

  Shroom sighed. "Yeah, he can't stand to just be rich. He has to wear $800.00 sunglasses too. Come on, Bean, let's get out of here. The air is turning bad around here."

  They headed for the tool shed and Pone trailed behind.

  On the soft breeze they heard Ollie's, "Group at four, don't be late!"

  Chapter 2

  The afternoon sun was hot, but the weeding was finished at the firehouse. The flowerbeds had fresh straw around each plant. Weed and mulch. The more mulch around the plant, the fewer weeds to pull later. They didn't have to water the plants as often, either. Good reason to do it right the first time.

  Pone, Shroom, and Bean cleaned their tools and put them in the caddy. They headed back toward the garden center. Spaz met them in front of Sal's Diner. She didn't say a word, but fell into step behind the others.

  Bean slowed down so he could walk beside Spaz. She sighed and ignored him. Bean reached for her tool caddy and said, "Let me take that for you."

  He touched the handle and Spaz snatched her hand away. "Don't touch me!"

  She pushed Bean so hard he stumbled backward. He jumped back and raised both hands. "Whoa, girl! I was just trying to help. I wasn't trying to grab you! Geez, take a pill."

  Spaz stopped and looked back. "Oh. Sorry. Out of my way, then." She shoved past him and walked ahead for another block. She stopped near an alley. Pone, Shroom, and Bean caught up to her.

  Breathing hard, Pone stuck his hands into his back pockets. "Are we all together now?"

  Bean said, "Yup, I'm good."

  Spaz just looked at them. "Can we vote on that?"

  Shroom didn't answer, but walked past all three and stood near the opening of the alley.

  Bean saw him go and turned to follow. "Shroom? You okay?"

  Pone called, "Yo Shroomster, what up?"

  Shroom looked like he was sneaking up on someone. He moved slowly, and stopped. He sniffed the air and walked on. Shroom stepped into the opening of the alley and stopped dead. He held up a hand and the group went silent. The three others crept forward and stopped behind him.

  Pone touched his shoulder and Shroom jumped. "Shroom, slow down, man. What are you doing?"

  "There's something in the alley, now shut up."

  Pone snorted. "How do you know that? Some Mexican voodoo spell or something?"

  Shroom raised an eyebrow. "I'm half Swede, Pone. That's where the blue eyes come from. Why do you always dis the Mexican? Do I assume you're a pimp just because you're black?"

  Pone shut up and stared. "Hell no! But I didn't mean–"

  Shroom shook his head. "Forget it. It's something you pick up living on the streets. Just go with me here."

  "Shroom, I'm sorry if you took what I said as a–"

  Shroom held up his hand again. "Shut up, man! I don't care if you're a racist. Everyone hates us anyway. It's over, let's get out of–"

  "But I'm not racist, man. I don't care if you're a Mexican or an Irishman! I just–"

  Bean looked confused. "Uh, I'm Irish. Does that count?"

  They all said, "Shut up, Bean!"

  Shroom closed his eyes and breathed in. "Trouble. Don't you smell it? Something is dead in there, and I ain't waiting around to see what it is."

  Pone grabbed Shroom's T-shirt. "Wait a minute. How would you know someone's dead in that alley? You got ESP or something?"

  Shroom fisted his hands. "I said something, not someone, and I don't have ESP. I ain't no mind reader."

  Bean stepped up. "Actually ESP is something different than what you guys are talking about. Unless, of course, you're using it in the sense that–"

  Both Shroom and Pone turned to him and yelled "Shut up, Bean!"

  Bean stabbed his toe in the ground and ducked behind Spaz. She looked him up and down. "No one likes a wise ass." She turned back and ignored him.

  Bean turned red and shut his mouth. He mumbled to himself. "Can't help it I'm smart."

  Spaz didn't turn around. "Can't help
it you're a dumbass, either."

  Shroom said, "I say we mind our own business and just leave. Let someone else find whatever it is."

  Spaz rolled her eyes and pushed her way forward. "Scared little boy? I say we go see what it is. Now." She looked at Pone and hitched her thumb at Shroom. "That way we can prove that Mister Gang Banger here is full of BS."

  Shroom narrowed his eyes and grumbled, "That's ex-gang banger to you, bi-atch."

  Spaz flashed a smile. "Ooo that hurt. I still say we go. Are you girls coming?"

  Pone hesitated. "I don't know. What if Shroom is right? I can't afford no more trouble."

  Spaz shoved past him and stood hands on hips. "Whah-whah, ya babies! None of us can afford more trouble. But how can we get into more trouble if we don't do anything?"

  Bean raised a hand. "Uh, I can answer that!"

  All together, they answered, "Shut up, Bean!"

  Bean shut up. He stepped back in frustrated silence. He couldn't help sounding stupid to them. He couldn't help being smart. He couldn't help it if he didn't grow up on the streets. He wasn't one of them. He knew that, they knew that, and they hated him for it. Bean really wasn't a criminal. Bean just got drunk and stupid. Not one of them could get it that Bean liked them. They thought he was just playing them. Bean looked at Spaz. Especially her, she really thought he was slumming. If she only knew the truth.

  With Spaz in the lead, followed by Pone, Shroom, and Bean, they slowly walked down the filthy alley. Hundreds of hidden claws scratched as the alley vermin scrambled for cover. A rancid odor made Bean choke. Taking another step forward, Bean stopped breathing through his nose. He covered his face with his T-shirt. He could still smell it. His eyes watered. His belly clenched. The horrible stench welling up from the muck covering the ground was enough to gag a maggot. Bean stepped on an old pizza box. Something squished beneath his feet and he slid. His legs split and he looked like a cheerleader going in for the kill. "Whaaa!"

  Shroom grabbed his arm and pulled him up. "It's like walking through a mine field, Beaner. Step around stuff, never on, man. Ya never know what's underneath all that slime, Yo."

  Suddenly Pone and Spaz stopped. Shroom and Bean bumped into them from behind, and Pone and Spaz pushed back. Pone began to make gagging noises and Spaz just stood there, stiff as a board. Pone stumbled away, leaning one hand against a building. He opened his mouth and tossed his cookies. Shroom looked at Bean and grinned. "Hope he didn't spend too much on lunch, cuz it's now part of the scenery. Let's go see what made him hurl."

  Bean swallowed hard. His eyes blurred his vision. His stomach flipped. He swallowed again, praying he didn't do a Pone and puke on his shoes. He wanted to run but didn't want to be a pansy. "Uh, okay Shroom I'm r-r-ready, let's go."

  They stepped around the dumpster and stopped. Lying among the rotten food and other disgusting garbage was a girl. A dead girl by the looks of her. Bean never saw anything dead before other than a bird or cat. She was a sick sort of grey-blue. She didn't move. Her head was split open and her fingers and ears were chewed on. One unblinking eye stared at Bean. He thought he was going to faint.

  Shroom flipped a piece of paper covering her knee off with his toe. Maggots by the hundreds bubbled out and wiggled in a huge open wound. Bean didn't think, he didn't move. He just bent over and threw up on his shoes. The only thing that kept him from total disgrace was he heard Pone still puking behind him.

  Shroom sighed and said, "There goes dessert."

  Spaz almost smiled. She turned back to the girl. Oh God, she knew that face.

  Stomach empty and sweating like a mother, Bean stood focused on a shoe hanging off the dead girl's foot. He breathed through his mouth and tried to be cool. If he looked anywhere else, he'd lose it again.

  Shroom was the only one able to form words. "I wonder who she is."

  They all stared at the dead girl. She was sprawled on the ground, her legs at an odd angle. There was a gash on her forehead like someone hit her with an ax. A tight little mini skirt was hitched high above her hips. Her underwear was around one leg. She wore a pink halter-top, but the straps meant to tie behind her neck were wrapped around her throat. What was left of her face was heavily made up. One high heel was teetering off the toes of her left foot, and the other one was missing.

  Bean felt the bile rise in his throat–again. He swallowed against the urge to puke all over himself–again. That would be the last nail in my coffin with these guys. Oh, Bean, that is so not funny. Buck up and breathe, two, three Slow down and breathe, two, three, breathe. Wow, that crap they taught me in group really works!

  Looking through blurry eyes, Bean saw Shroom stomp out of the alley. He heard him say, "Did I tell you people not to come in here? Did I not say there was something dead in here? Did anyone listen to me? Nooo! No one listens to the Mexican! That's why I'm Shroom. You keep me in the dark, feed me sh–crap and ignore me the rest of the time!" He punched the brick wall and paced the alley. "Now what are we gonna do? The cops are gonna arrest me and Pone. They're gonna throw us in jail and let us rot," he turned on Spaz. "All cuz you had to be big and bad and find us a dead ho."

  Bean stumbled out of the alley. He gulped in fresh air. Wiping his sweaty face on his T-shirt, he looked confused. "What hoe? Like dig up weeds hoe?"

  Shroom stopped in front of Bean. He shook his head like he couldn't believe Bean was so stupid. "Are you kidding me, man? I said ho. As in skeezer, skank, hooker, turn the trick, prostitute yourself, ho!"

  Pone had recovered enough to push himself between the two. "Man, Shroom, you are in his face! He can't help it he's stupid! Lay off and step away."

  Shroom looked again at Bean, who was green and still sick.

  Pone put his hands up by Shroom's chest, but did not touch him. "Step back before I set you down. We gotta figure out what we're gonna do about Dead Chick over there. Not fight over why the white boy don't know a garden hoe from a skank ho."

  Pone slipped from between Bean and Shroom. "By the way, yo, why they gonna arrest only me and you? Cuz we're the minorities? Is that more of your racist crap?"

  Shroom nodded his head and Pone went off. "Geez, when were you born, man? And you're mama is Swedish, Bi-atch. Get over yourself, man. Not everyone in the world is a racist."

  Shroom opened his mouth, but Pone stomped away a couple more steps. He turned back. "I'm calling my dad. Maybe you two morons would like to see what's up with Spaz instead of fighting over stupid stuff that don't matter."

  They all looked at Spaz. She stood ramrod straight, dry-eyed, and unsmiling. She bit her bottom lip. Her arms were bent and she stood like an opera singer, with her right hand turned up and her left hand over the top and turned down, her fingers clasped tightly in front of her body. She did not move, nor did she speak. Bean leaned over to Shroom and whispered, "Maybe she knew her."

  Shroom took a steadying breath and prayed Bean would grow a brain. "Uh, brilliant, dumbass. Do ya think?"

  Spaz stared down at the dead hooker. It surprised her she did not feel strong emotion about the dead girl. Amy was her name. Spaz knew her, saw her every night when she worked the streets in Milwaukee. One night Amy said she had a line on a great gig, but she disappeared after that. Spaz never saw her again–until now.

  Spaz guessed Amy was as close to a friend as she ever had, but felt only a little tug of sadness at her death. It was as if she were reading the story in a newspaper about someone she had never met. That must mean something very bad. Her shrink would probably flip out if she knew.

  Spaz sighed. Must have been a great gig. Wow, that could have been me.

  Now that was something to flip out about. She closed her eyes for a moment.

  Bean made like he was going to walk over to her.

  Shroom said, "Don't do it, man. Later for that. Leave her be, 'cuz she won't thank you for buttin' in."

  Bean ignored him and put a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry, Spaz, must be tough. Was she a friend of yours?"

  Worried that her
inner freak was showing, Spaz knocked his hand away. "Back off of me, Bean."

  Bean stood his ground. "I just want to help. Friends are supposed to be there for you."

  Spaz squared off on him and stuck a finger in his face. "I said, back off Beaner. You don't know nothin'. She's dead. She ain't nothin' to me, and neither are you fools. I ain't your friend. Now outta my way."

  Spaz spun and Bean stumbled backward. He tried to follow and Shroom grabbed him. "Not now, man, leave it. She's got to do this her way."

  "What do you mean 'her way'?"

  Shroom looked at the ground for several seconds. When he looked up, his light blue eyes looked like two pieces of chipped ice. "I mean like, she has to deal with this her way, and her way ain't your way. Maybe she don't feel stuff the way you do, but that don't mean she don't feel nothin'. Leave her be. She'll be okay. If she wants you, she'll rattle your cage, yo."

  Bean looked at his pukie shoes. Man, I really stink.

  He sighed. "I guess you're right." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Still don't seem right, but you've know her longer than me, I guess."

  "Hey, longer don't mean I know her better, man. No one really knows her. We just go with what she tells us, and that ain't much. I just know wherever she came from she came the hard way, so we just let her be. Don't ask questions. Stay out of her space. And stay out of her face."

  Bean watched Shroom walk over to Pone, who was still on his cell phone. Bean took one more look in the direction Spaz went and sighed. "Okay, okay, I'll wait for her."

  Pone glanced quickly at the body. "I wonder if Dead Chick had family."

  Shroom shoved Pone forward, and yanked on Bean's arm, "Ain't our job to fine out, man. Pone already called Five-oh. Let the cops cry for her and find her family. We gotta get outta here, now. We're gonna be late for group and old Ollie will call my P.O."

  Shroom half-dragged Pone and Bean a few yards down the sidewalk. "Let's grab a soda at the gas station over there."