by Judi Lynn
“All successful.” Jazzi finished her last taco and took a sip of wine.
Damian grinned. “They had success written all over them from first grade on.”
“And nothing ever changed that, made people worry?” Ansel asked. When Brett stared at him, he shrugged. “Our high school quarterback was on the fast track until he got one of the cheerleaders pregnant. Now he’s a car salesman in my dad’s small town.”
“Is he happy?” Jazzi hated to hear about dashed dreams.
Ansel smiled. “He has a serious paunch and five kids, and he’s still married to the girl.”
That made her feel better. “Could someone have shoved Jessica over the railing to protect a secret?”
Damian pushed away his empty plate, shaking his head. “I don’t think so. Those four girls would have just squared their shoulders and faced whatever it was head-on.”
“Even if one got pregnant?” Ansel asked.
“Even that,” Kelsey said.
Jazzi shrugged. “I’m out of ideas. But when I go back to Merlot, I’d like to track down Jessica’s friends and ask them about her.”
“Good luck.” Brett tossed down his napkin. “It’s beginning to look like we’re not going to get any more answers this time than the last.”
“Hey, Jazzi’s doing her best!” Leesa said, defending her.
Brett cringed. “I’m not saying that. I really appreciate what you’re doing for us, Jazzi. It’s just not looking good, is it?”
Damian shrugged. “At least we tried.”
They had to leave it at that. Even with the journals and Gaff’s help, they weren’t making much progress.
Chapter 16
They slept in on Saturday, and it felt good. When they finally tumbled out of bed, the cats raced to the kitchen to their food bowls. Ansel chuckled. “One extra hour and you’d think they were starving.”
Jazzi watched him pick up his pug to carry down the steps. “The same cannot be said about George.”
He laughed. “He’s too weak to walk. He might perish if we don’t feed him soon.”
“Right.” While she fed the furry beasts, he poured coffee for them and toasted four slices of pumpernickel. They sat next to each other at the kitchen island, enjoying the slow start of their day.
“What’s first up for us to do?” he asked.
“Sanding the basement. Then we can give the house a quick clean and head to the store after lunch.”
He agreed with a nod. They’d both dressed in their work clothes, so half an hour later, they turned on their sanders and got busy. He wore his baseball cap, and she’d covered her hair with a scarf. By the time they finished, though, they were both plenty dusty. A good time to clean the house. Inky chased her dust rag as she worked, and Marmalade helped Ansel scrub the sinks and tub. The cat enjoyed smacking the running water with her paw, tossing it everywhere. George supervised. They showered before lunch so her hair would dry while she ate.
“Did you already make a list for groceries?” Ansel asked, finishing his sandwich.
She was ahead of him. She pointed to the sheet of paper stuck on the fridge with a magnet.
“What did you decide on for tomorrow?” He didn’t sound hopeful. She’d promised something quick and easy, but they’d had too many fast lunches and suppers lately. Sundays were usually special.
“Sauerbraten and potatoes.”
His eyes lit up. “I like German food.”
“I know.” She smiled. “I was thinking about making apple strudel for dessert, but that might be too much bother.”
“I can help you.” She knew he’d volunteer if she picked the right dessert. “Is the dough hard to make?”
“Not for me. I cheat and use puff pastry.”
“Even better. I’ll buy vanilla ice cream to go with it.”
“It’s already on the grocery list.” She knew what Ansel liked.
He pushed to his feet. “Then let’s go. The sooner we shop, the sooner we can cook. And then we can rent a movie to watch.”
“No horror.” He’d picked their last movie, and it was her turn.
He grinned. “But when you get scared, you cuddle close to me and…”
She put a hand on his hard chest, interrupting him. “But when I watch romance, I feel all girlie and mushy.”
He wrinkled his nose at the thought of a romance, then pulled her in for a quick kiss. “I like girlie and mushy, but when you watch a chick flick, you get a little spunky.”
“You like spunky?”
“I like anything you throw at me.” This time, the kiss lingered. Finally, he straightened and shook his head. “For later. Right now, grocery store.”
When the cats saw her grab the list to walk out the door, they knew where she was going. The felines didn’t miss a thing. They knew when she came home, she’d throw brown grocery bags on the floor for them to play in. They left George home, too. He didn’t like it, but he’d live.
They’d shopped together so often, they knew every aisle in the store by heart. A half hour later, they were checking out. When they got home, they were just as efficient at putting groceries away. Then Jazzi started the chuck roasts for the sauerbraten. She’d remembered to buy gingersnaps to grind in later.
Ansel peeled apples while she cooked, and they had three strudels in the oven in no time. The number of people who came for the Sunday meal had grown. It had started with Jerod and his family, Jerod’s parents, her parents, Gran and Samantha, and Olivia and Thane. Now, it included Walker and Didi with River and Radley and Elspeth. Twenty people in all, including them, if you counted baby Pete. People threw money in the Mason jar on the counter to help pay for the ingredients, but the meal was more work than it used to be. Elspeth and Didi talked about helping out, and Jazzi was to the point where it sounded like a good idea.
When they finished, they still had time to relax before ordering a pizza for supper. Ansel went to flip through TV stations to find a sports program, and she settled next to Jessica’s hope chest. She’d skipped the beginning of her journal for her senior year, going to the end months for the prom and her graduation party instead. Now, she turned to the beginning, and she wished she’d read it earlier.
Alwin’s getting more and more upset with me every time he comes home from college. Dad encourages it and joins in. Mom keeps telling me it’s a normal part of sibling rivalry, but something’s changed between us. I don’t know what.
A week later, she wrote, I heard Mom and Dad arguing about me last night. I’m surprised they’re still together. Mom says he’s going to regret the way he treats me when I leave for university, but he says Mom always takes my side in everything. Mom told him it’s because he always sticks up for Alwin. Sometimes, I think they hate each other, but Dad says that no Hodgkill ever got a divorce, and he won’t be the first one. Why Mom stays, I don’t know.
Inky jumped on her lap for attention, and she stopped to pet him. Marmalade bumped her leg, and she bent to pet her, too. Then she returned to the journal.
Alwin keeps pressuring me to live at home and go to Merlot University, or drive to Tri-States with him. He doesn’t realize how much I want to escape Dad. I don’t want to stay in Indiana. I want to explore the world. But that only makes him angrier. I tried to explain that I wasn’t trying to make him look bad. His grades are better now. I told him to follow me to a new school, but he won’t hear of it.
A month before her prom, Jessica wrote, Alwin keeps telling me the dangers of being a woman alone in the world. He’d swaddle me in cotton and keep me at home if he could. I don’t know what he’s thinking. Lots of women go off to college on their own. Then he told me about the girl who’d been killed in our area, that the police questioned the entire basketball team about her. The murder’s rattled him. He doesn’t want me to ever be a victim. He’s afraid for me. That’s sweet of him, but I won’
t let fear hold me back from my dreams. I’m going to pick a college and be done with it.
The week before her graduation party, she wrote, I wish Alwin would find some wonderful girl who’d clamp on to him and make him her own. A few have tried, but he never dates them for very long. If he had a girlfriend, he’d pay less attention to me. A win-win. He’d be happier, and so would I. The more upset Alwin gets, the more Dad hates me. I can’t leave Merlot fast enough.
The buzzer on the stove rang, jerking Jazzi from her thoughts. She went to take the strudels out of the oven, and Ansel came to join her.
“Ready for pizza?”
“I’m hungry.” They’d had a small lunch.
He called in their order, and Jazzi put the finishing touches on the sauerbraten. The potatoes had cooked along with the roasts, and they’d have lots of flavor. All they’d have to do tomorrow was make a salad and a vegetable. She pinched her lips together. She was out of reading time for tonight and wished she’d gotten further.
Half an hour later, the deliveryman came and supper was served. Ansel clicked on the movie they wanted to rent, and they settled in front of the TV to eat while they watched. She’d chosen a thriller romance, a woman in jeopardy with a hunky detective trying to keep her alive. She thought that way, she and Ansel would both enjoy it. What she hadn’t counted on was the movie making her think of Jessica. In the movie, a serial killer was targeting girls with long blond hair and willowy builds. At the end, the detective caught the killer and saved the heroine at the last minute. Jessica hadn’t been that lucky, and no one ever caught her killer. He was still out there.
Chapter 17
On Sunday, Jazzi started making the salad sooner than usual, impatient to finish everything and see her family. They’d only missed one week for Bain’s wedding, but somehow, it felt like she hadn’t seen her parents or Gran and Samantha or the others for a long time.
As usual, Jerod and his family walked through the kitchen door first, and Jerod hovered around the cheese ball and crackers. Franny brought her usual vegetable tray and dip, and as people entered, they gathered at the island to sip their drinks and eat their snack. The minute Walker and Didi arrived, Gunther and Lizzie ran to River, excited to start playing.
“Not so fast. I have a job for you first,” Ansel told them.
They stared up at him, stunned.
“Jerod and Walker can help me show you what needs to be done.” He motioned for them to follow him to the garage. Once inside, he threw open the back doors to his van, full of pumpkins. Lizzie squealed. “The back patio needs to be decorated for the party,” he told them. “Can you handle that?”
Lizzie spied the felt-tip pens on the patio table. “Can we make faces on them?”
“Don’t make them too scary. I have to pass them every day.”
River laughed up at him as the men helped the kids carry the first load of pumpkins behind the house, then they left them to it and came in to visit. When Jazzi glanced out the French doors, she watched the kids carefully pick spots for the pumpkins they’d chosen.
“That reminds me,” Jerod said. “I haven’t seen your basement for a while.”
The three men started downstairs, and when Jazzi’s dad and mom arrived, Doogie went down to join them. So did Jerod’s dad, Eli, when he came. Jerod’s mom, however, headed straight to baby Pete. Eleanore couldn’t keep her hands off an infant. When Didi had her little girl, Eleanore would want baby time with her, too. Radley and Elspeth came next. As usual, Olivia and Thane were last. When they finally walked in, Jazzi started loading food on the kitchen island. The men tramped upstairs, and everyone got in line to dish up.
Jazzi poured Gran a glass of red wine while they waited their turns. Her housemate, Samantha, decided on lemon water for lunch, because she was driving. Gran frowned at Jazzi and shook her head. “Your mom told me that you’ve found another body.”
“Not a body.” Jazzi explained about Jessica’s hope chest.
Gran pursed her lips. “I remember reading about that poor girl. Her picture was on the front page. A beautiful child. There was another one, too, wasn’t there?”
“A cheerleader,” Jazzi said.
Gran cocked her head to the side, as though listening to something. “This time, you’ll find what you need to catch the killer. Look in his secret pocket.” She frowned. “It won’t be there yet.”
“Whose pocket?” Jazzi had learned never to doubt Gran’s sight.
Gran sighed and shrugged, as if returning to her from a long distance. “I don’t know. That’s all I got. It just came to me.”
They’d reached the kitchen island, and they stopped talking to fill their plates. When they took their places at the long farmhouse table, Gran was near the end on one side and Jazzi near the end on the other. No way to talk.
Elspeth took a bite of her sauerbraten and licked her lips. “This is wonderful, Jazzi. Radley and I have been talking. When we find a house and make it presentable, we want to take turns with you, having people over for the Sunday meal. We even thought about switching off who makes the main dish and who does side dishes and desserts.”
Radley leaned forward. “We’re not trying to intrude on your tradition, but you have to do a lot of work every week for this. We’d like to help.”
“Me too,” Didi said, “but I don’t want to offend you.”
“No offense taken. I’d love it.” The meal had grown into something bigger than she’d anticipated, and eventually, it would grow larger.
Didi blinked. “You’d be okay with that?”
“Better than okay. I’d like it.”
Elspeth smiled. “Until then, what if you and I take turns switching back and forth on who makes the main dish and the dessert?”
“Works for me.”
“I’ll make a side dish if you let me know what you’re having that week to make sure it works,” Didi said.
“We can decide each Thursday at girls’ night out,” Jazzi said.
She was surprised when Olivia added, “Mom and I will be glad to bring drinks. Neither of us intends to cook, but we can handle buying soda, wine, and beer.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Jazzi glanced at Ansel. “Is that okay with you?”
“I’m all for it.”
That decided, they went back to catching up with each other.
“Is the lake cottage all closed up for the year?” Ansel asked Eli. Jerod’s dad let him and Jazzi use it over Labor Day weekends, when he and Eleanore liked to travel.
Eli nodded. “The boats are in storage and the pier’s put away. We still go up once in a while in the winter just to get out of town, but we usually don’t go out on the ice. A few friends of ours icefish in front of the cabin, though.”
Ansel’s blue eyes lit up, and he glanced her way.
Jazzi shook her head. “You can go, but Eli talked me into trying it once, and I just sat on the ice and froze half to death until he let me go back to the cabin.”
“Do you icefish?” Ansel asked Jerod.
“Not me. I catch enough fish during the summer.”
Ansel glanced at Walker and Thane. They both nodded, and he grinned. “Maybe the three of us will try it sometime.”
“Knock yourselves out. Let me know, and I’ll give you a key to the cabin. You can go in there to get warm,” Eli told him.
Once they’d finished eating, Ansel helped Jazzi clear the table, and they carried the strudel and ice cream to the kitchen island. There were so many drips and spills on it, Jazzi was glad they’d installed a butcher-block countertop. Easy to clean.
More small talk flowed over dessert and coffee, then the men all disappeared in the basement again, and the women headed to the living room. Half an hour later, the men joined them, and a short time later, people started heading home. Everyone liked to call it quits earlier on Sunday nights to relax before work o
n Monday.
Once everyone left, Ansel turned to her while they finished cleaning the kitchen. “What was your gran telling you about Jessica?”
“To look in his secret pocket, but it wouldn’t be there yet.”
He frowned.
“I know. Elusive as always. Gran has the sight, but the sight doesn’t make it easy. Most of the time, I have no idea what she means.”
“Maybe when the time’s right, you will.”
She smiled at him. “You have a knack for saying the right thing.”
He hugged her. “‘Happy wife, happy life.’ I believe that.” He did. So did Radley and the rest of their friends, but he sure didn’t learn it from his father. Dalmar let Britt know he needed her to put meals on the table and care for the house, but that was about as far as his affections went.
Ansel hung up his dish towel. “I’m going upstairs to change into my pajamas; then I’m going to look for a sports channel. What about you?”
“PJs sound good, but I think I’ll look up Jessica’s four friends to see where I can find them. I’d like to hear their take on Jessica and the graduation party.”
“Easy enough.” He climbed the stairs with her. “Merlot’s not that big. They can’t live that far out of our way when we work there.”
“Three of them have shops,” she said. “We can stop by and check them out, talk to them there.”
“And the fourth?”
“Is a teacher. I’ll have to give her a call, make an appointment to see her.”
“We could visit one every night after work,” he said. “We’d still be home at a decent time.”
A good plan. She was looking forward to it. Maybe Jessica’s best friends would know more about Jessica’s dad and brother, anyone who might have held a grudge against her. It was time to dig deeper.
Chapter 18
The white kitchen cabinets and stainless-steel appliances arrived on Monday. They’d ordered a six-burner stove and a deep farmhouse sink like Jazzi and Ansel had at their house. Once everything was delivered, they got busy hanging the cupboards and installing the bottom cabinets. They had to break for lunch, and George came to beg, happy they were having deli ham sandwiches and chips, his favorite.
