Mousse, Moscato & Murder

by Jamie Lee Scott

  I’d been holding my breath. I let it out and said, “Did you kill her?”

  He put his hands up. “No, I swear. She was alive when I saw her last.”

  “You caught up with her?”

  “Yes. She drove to the state park off Elm Street. She parked in the lot and was standing at the edge, looking at the water. I didn’t want to scare her, so I parked a few spaces away and waited. When she came back to her car, I got out. She was terrified. Told me she had a stun gun.”

  “I would have done the same. That wasn’t smart,” I said. But I needed to shut up and let him talk before his wife came out.

  “I told her who I was and that I’d been coming to the restaurant to see her because I was sure she was my daughter. I just wanted to meet her. I didn’t want to disrupt her life. I explained the whole story to her. She even hugged me. She was thrilled to know I hadn’t abandoned her after all. I guess Marjorie told her some terrible stories. I even told her about my family, and invited her to come by and meet them.” His words were coming out fast, like he had to get it off his chest.

  “Did you tell this to the cops?” I asked.

  Before he could answer, I heard a voice behind me. “He did. Who are you?”

  I jumped and turned to see a haggard, but pretty woman who stood about five-feet tall. She had her hair down, and the lovely brown curls rested on her shoulders.

  “Oh, hi. I’m a friend of Becca’s. I’ve been looking into her murder.” I didn’t expect to have to explain myself again.

  “Well, he’s told you everything he told the police. I don’t know what else he can say.” She didn’t sound mad, just defeated.

  “Do you mind if I ask a couple more questions?” I asked Sam, not his wife.

  “What do you want to know?” he said.

  “What was her state of mind?” That was the one thing that had been weighing on me. Was she happy or still mad?

  “She was frustrated. She told me she’d tried to be a good sister and let Ivy move in with her. And that once again, Ivy took advantage. She didn’t mind, but Ivy had moved the guy into her house. The guy who’d been the cause of all of the trouble between them.”

  “Randy,” I offered.

  “Yes, Randy. But the part that had her so upset was that she was pregnant, and she didn’t want him smoking in the house.”

  I remembered the ashtray full of cigarette butts.

  “Becca was pregnant?” I said, flabbergasted.

  He nodded. “I guess I was the first person she’d told. She said there had been an altercation at her house that morning before work when she’d told Randy to get out, and that she’d left before her stress levels got too high. She was worried about the baby.”

  “Did she say how far along she was?” This could be significant.

  “She said about a month. She was so happy, saying the dad was a really nice guy who had his act together. That he really loved her.” Sam smiled.

  “So you talked, and then what happened?” There had to be more.

  “We talked for over an hour. Then she said she needed to get to work. I said she’d just left work, and she told me she had a night job. I didn’t know it would be the last time I’d see her. So I’m glad I gave her the gift I’d bought her before we parted.” Again, a smile at the memory.

  “A gift?”

  “I figured out when her birthdate might be by tracing the months from the time I’d spent at the lake. It was ages ago, but we went every summer on the same week. She had to be born in May. So I bought her a tennis bracelet, but instead of diamonds, I had it made with emeralds.”

  My mind raced, but I made it stay right where we were for the moment. I couldn’t go off on a tangent. And I couldn’t share my thoughts with Sam. Not just yet.

  I could feel tears welling in my eyes. He truly loved this daughter he’d never met. He’d been trying to do the right thing. But I needed to wrap this up. I had to go talk to someone.

  “What about Marjorie? Did you talk to her?”

  He pushed himself up and was standing again. “No way. I didn’t need the hassle. I told my wife, Pilar, what I’d found out, and we tried to come up with the best way to approach the situation. I wanted to know if she was my daughter. She is, I know it. I wanted to do DNA tests to prove it, but Becca said it wasn’t necessary. She could see her own eyes looking into mine.”

  It was true. They had the same eyes. I wished I’d seen it earlier, when he was coming to the restaurant every day, but I never got close enough.

  “Did you get to give her the bracelet?”

  “I did,” he beamed. “She loved it and I helped her put it on right away.”

  I had to gather my thoughts. “Did you tell the police about the bracelet?”

  He didn’t say anything right away, like he was trying to remember. “I honestly don’t remember.” He looked to his wife, who was still standing behind me. “Did I?”

  “I don’t think so. I don’t think that part came up in the conversation.” She took a step toward me. “We are getting the kids ready for their baths. Are you almost finished here?”

  She was definitely not happy to see me there. And she didn’t like me asking questions. When she didn’t bother to introduce herself, I wasn’t inclined to offer up my name, either.

  “Thanks for talking to me and clearing things up. I wish you’d been honest with me at the restaurant.” I just had to get my jab in. I’d wasted so much time. I knew exactly what direction I needed to go now, and I needed to make a call.

  “I don’t know you, and you ambushed me at the Crow’s Nest. What did you expect?” Sam walked over to stand by his wife.

  I didn’t offer my hand, but I wanted to say thanks. “You’re right, I did ambush you. I don’t know what I was thinking. Thanks for talking to me. If you ever are in the area, stop by Vendredi Winery and I’ll make sure you get the best wine tasting and a good price on wine.”

  Pilar said, “Vendredi? You work there? I love that winery.”

  I smiled. “I’m sort of family. I was married to the owner’s son.”

  Pilar slapped Sam on the shoulder. “Honey, we know Peter.”

  Sam said, “Peter Friday?”

  “That’s my man,” I said.

  Small world.

  Chapter Seventeen

  They talked about knowing Peter, and expressed their sadness about what happened to Becca. Sam said the police had promised to keep him apprised of the outcome and let him know when Becca’s funeral was scheduled. Sam had offered to pay all expenses. What a nice guy.

  Pilar and Sam stood in the driveway and watched me as I got into my car. As soon as I was in the car, I made a U-turn and picked up my phone.

  I called John’s cell phone. It went to voicemail as usual. I swear he didn’t answer just because he saw it was me calling.

  “First, don’t be mad, but I just finished talking to Sam Thompson. Yes, I figured out who he was on my own. He said he talked to you, and that he told you about meeting up with Becca and telling her everything. But he told me about a bracelet he gave Becca. An emerald bracelet. John, I saw that bracelet on Ivy’s wrist the day we were at Becca’s house. Please call me.”

  John had probably had enough of me sticking my nose in his investigations. This was the third time in less than a year that I’d butted into his business. I really didn’t mean to, but it wasn’t in my nature to let things be. Maybe I could help. And I think I may have found something by talking to Sam.

  I was halfway back to Pear when my cell phone rang. I told my car to answer.

  John’s voice was immediately piped through the speakers. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”

  “I can’t, you’re right. But I haven’t been stepping on toes, or making people mad. I just had to know who the man was who was stalking Becca.” I tried agreeing and being nice. Maybe it would help him hate me less.

  “Now you know he wasn’t stalking her. What’s your big news?” Patronizing as always.

 
“Sam said he gave Becca an emerald tennis bracelet that afternoon. And that he helped her put it on. I’ll bet the Vendredi property that she didn’t have that bracelet on when you found her.”

  He didn’t say anything.

  “John, I saw that bracelet on Ivy.”

  “Yes, you said that in your message. Thank you. I’ll take it from here.”

  I hadn’t been accosted at Sam’s house, but I might be in a world of hurt from the next place I decided to visit. “I’m going to talk to Ivy. She has some explaining to do. The only way she could have that bracelet is if someone gave it to her, or she took it. And she’d have no way of knowing we’d find out where it came from.”

  “Ivy’s gone back to Santa Rosa, so enjoy the drive,” John hung up.

  He gave that away too easily. I was sure Ivy hadn’t gone back to Santa Rosa. And I’d find out. I headed into town, but instead of going home, I took the turn off toward Becca’s house.

  “That’s a bummer,” I said. “It’s kind of late. I guess I’ll talk to her in the morning if you haven’t arrested her.”

  I disconnected and when I arrived at the house, I saw a U-Haul trailer parked out front. It was hooked up to an older Ford Bronco. The lights were on everywhere: the porch, the backyard, the garage, and in the house.

  As I got out of my car, I saw Ivy and an older woman carrying a couch out of the house. By older, I meant my age, not Hattie’s age.

  “Hey, Ivy, need some help?” I asked.

  Ivy dropped her end of the couch and the woman slowly let her end down.

  “What are you doing here?” she spat.

  “I was just driving by and saw you were moving. Wanted to see if I could help.”

  Ivy cackled. “Right, you were just driving by.” To the woman, she said, “Mom, this is that lady I told you about. The one who told me Becca was dead.”

  I marched right up to her, since we were in the front yard and I didn’t think she’d try anything. “Don’t lie to your mom. You knew Becca was dead before I told you.”

  “I did not,” she yelled.

  “I saw your Instagram page.”

  Her mom stared at me. “Are you stalking my daughter?”

  I continued looking at Ivy as I walked closer. “I checked you out, young lady. You’re a piece of work.” I pointed to the bracelet on her arm. “Get that in one of the robberies you committed?”

  Now I was poking a bear.

  “Screw you, this is mine.” She put her hand over the emerald tennis bracelet.

  “Really? You buy that with your extra money?” I taunted her.

  “No, Austin gave it to me.” Her words shocked me. She was going to pin this all on Austin?

  Ivy’s mom shook her head and walked back into the house.

  “Why would he give you Becca’s bracelet? And how did he even know about it?”

  Ivy stepped off the porch and came at me. I wasn’t sure if she was coming closer to talk because she was tired of yelling, or if she had something more sinister in mind. But I stood my ground. I wasn’t going to let this punk hoodlum chick scare me. I didn’t care if I was scared to death, I wouldn’t let on.

  Ivy stopped about three feet in front of me and looked past me. I’m not sure why, but I turned to see what she was looking at. John had just pulled up. He’d come up quietly, no lights, no siren. He was already getting out of the car.

  “Hello, ladies. Fancy seeing you here, Willa.” He couldn’t have been more pleasant, but I knew it was an act. “Ivy, I hear you have a story to tell me about a new bracelet you’ve been wearing.” He’d walked past me and was standing very close to Ivy.

  “I don’t have any story to tell about anything. Now get off my property.” She jabbed her finger toward our cars, forgetting it was the arm that she had the bracelet on.

  I turned to John. “See?”

  John stepped up and took Ivy’s arm, moving it to her back. “Ivy Roundhouse, you’re under arrest for the murder of…”

  Before John could get her completely cuffed, Ivy screamed, “No!”

  Ivy stopped struggling, and John finished putting the handcuffs on her.

  “I got it from Austin. I swear.”

  John held Ivy by the elbow. “So Austin just gave you an expensive emerald bracelet?”

  Ivy shook her head. “It wasn’t like that. I was at the restaurant the day after Becca and I fought. I’d come by to see if she was okay, because she didn’t come home, and she wasn’t returning my calls or messages. I didn’t have a car, so I walked over to The Bent Fork to see if Becca was working. I didn’t see her car, but I saw Austin coming out of the restaurant, so I walked over to his car. If anyone would know where Becca was, he would. Becca had been staying at his house more and more.”

  Marjorie came running out of the house and John pulled his Taser from its holster. “Stay right where you are.”

  Marjorie stopped as if she’d hit a brick wall. “What is going on?”

  Ivy looked at her mom, pleading in her eyes. Her mom stayed put.

  “And out of the kindness of his heart, he gave you this bracelet?” I said.

  John glared at me.

  “No, that’s not exactly what happened.” She looked back at her mom, then at me. “He said he hadn’t seen her either. But he was in a hurry because he had to get to school for lifting. He plays football and I guess they have to condition all year.”

  “You still aren’t making any sense when it comes to the bracelet,” John said.

  “He’d said Becca wasn’t at work, so it was pointless for me to go inside. He was in a hurry, but I asked him for a ride.”

  “So he gave you a ride?”

  “That’s just it, he refused. But I said he was being a jerk, and I was Becca’s sister, so he should give me a ride. And when he unlocked his car to get in, the passenger side unlocked too. I opened the car and got in.”

  “This sounds like a tall tale, Ivy,” John said.

  I just stood quietly, glad John hadn’t asked me to leave.

  “He was pissed. He came around the car in a hurry. I reached to close my door and lock it. That’s when I saw the bracelet. I’d gotten the door locked, but I wanted that bracelet. It was so pretty.” She shook her wrist and tried to bring her hands around her side for us to get a good look.

  “And then you opened the door and Austin said, ‘Oh hey, you like it, keep it’?”

  Ivy looked down. “Not exactly. But if I tell you, please don’t arrest me for it.”

  John literally groaned. “Okay, Ivy, what exactly happened?”

  “Austin was pissed. He looked down to grab his keys and unlock the door and I slid the bracelet into my pocket.” She looked sheepish for the first time. “Then I unlocked the door and he yanked it open. He grabbed me by the upper arm and dragged me from the car. He was in a total rage.” She tried to move her shirt with her chin. “Lift up my sleeve. He left a bruise, I swear.”

  John held fast to Ivy, like he thought she’d try to run. “Can you lift up her sleeve?” he said to Ivy’s mom.

  Marjorie stepped up and gently lifted the sleeve of Ivy’s shirt. Sure enough, there was a deep bruise that looked like a hand print.

  “Oh, my,” slipped out of me.

  “Oh, my is right. This sucker hurts.”

  John loosened his grip on Ivy. “I’m going to take you down to the station…”

  “No, you promised!” Ivy screamed.

  “Hush up, and let me finish.” John waited. “Okay, I’m not arresting you, even though I didn’t promise anything. I want to take you in and get the bracelet into evidence, and take measurements and photos of your arm.”

  Sullen, she said, “Okay, as long as I’m not under arrest.”

  I said, “I'll help your mom get the couch into the trailer and lock up the house. You can finish moving tomorrow.”

  Marjorie nodded in agreement. “That couch is heavy. I’m too old for this.”

  “I am, too,” I admitted. I considered calling Jacob, b
ut he was probably at work.

  John walked Ivy to his car, leaving the cuffs on, and put her in the back seat. He came back over and talked to me. “This was an incredibly stupid move. She’s a violent offender. You could have ended up in a very bad situation.”

  I hung my head. Duly chastised. “I’m going home now.”

  “I’ll talk to you later,” he said, then walked back to his car.

  I really wanted to go have a word with Austin, and verify Ivy’s story. But Austin seemed volatile, too. And it was late enough that his mom’s restaurant was closed, so I’d have to confront him at his apartment. Not a smart idea.

  I sat in my car for a few minutes, trying to talk myself out of what I really wanted to do.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Turned out I didn’t need to talk myself out of going to visit Austin. Hattie called me right before I started my car.

  “Where are you?” she said.

  “I’m sitting in front of Becca’s house, watching her mom load up the little stuff from her house.” And I was, even though I wasn’t really paying attention.

  “They’re taking everything?” Hattie asked.

  “I’m assuming they need to get out before the end of the month, since I doubt the landlord is going to let Ivy or Randy rent the house. Not with their criminal records. And I just found out Ivy stole something recently. At least they are salvaging Becca’s belongings and not leaving them for the landlord to hock.”

  “True. They’ll probably sell them on Craig’s List,” Hattie agreed.

  “What did you call me for?”

  Hattie cleared her throat. “I just got off the phone with John. He called to warn me, and you, that we need to back off right now. No more butting our noses in where they don’t belong.”

  I laughed. “He wouldn’t even have Ivy in the back seat of his car if it wasn’t for me. I’m the one who tracked her down and got her to talk.”

  “What are you talking about?” Hattie was almost too eager to hear the story.