by Amy M. Reade
“What do you do for the Chamber of Commerce?”
“I’m the president this year, so that means I have to make an appearance at most of the events, plus I have to come up with ways to make Juniper Junction appealing to tourists and business owners alike. Often those interests are the same, but sometimes they’re at odds. For example, recently there’s been an argument among the business owners about allowing big chain stores onto Main Street. Some of the shop owners think it’s a good idea because it will bring more people into their shops, but others don’t want it because chain stores will take away from their business.”
“I suppose that’s an issue every small town has to deal with,” Hassan said.
“Probably, but my only concern is this small town,” Lilly said with a smile. “I’m in the group that opposes the big chain stores because many of them sell jewelry. It’s nowhere near the quality of the stuff that I sell, but it’s cheaper. Some people don’t care about quality if the price is right.”
“But are those the people who shop in your store?”
Lilly thought for a moment. “Yes, I think so. But that’s not the only reason I don’t want the big stores coming into our downtown. There’s a certain ambience that people love about Main Street in Juniper Junction. They like that they’re supporting local businesses and there’s a charm and beauty to Main Street which you won’t find in other towns that don’t care who sets up shop.”
“Is that part of the reason you think Eden Barclay was killed?”
“I really don’t know. Eden wasn’t a nice person and she tended to be an equal-opportunity bully. As far as I know, Eden agreed with me that the big chains don’t belong in Juniper Junction.”
“So they really don’t have any idea who killed her?”
Lilly didn’t like the direction this conversation was taking. She thought the tree lighting might be a cozy, romantic way to spend the evening, but it was turning into an inquest.
Hassan seemed to sense her agitation. “I hope you don’t mind talking about it,” he said. “It’s just that I’d like to introduce you to my parents and the rest of my family. Because we’re all involved in the gem business, they’ve been following the story with interest. To my family there are few things more exciting than a murder in a jewelry shop. I’m just thinking when I introduce you they’ll recognize your name and pepper you with a million questions. I’m just trying to get an idea of your part in the story, that’s all. Please forgive me if I sounded accusatory. Their questions will be worse than mine, I guarantee it. Remember I told you your mother has nothing on my family?” he concluded with a grin.
Lilly nodded solemnly. “I remember, though I’m not sure how that’s possible,” she said, her lips curving into a small smile. “I was just beginning to get the feeling you actually thought I did it.”
“Oh, no. Of course I don’t think that. It’s just my way of preparing you to meet my family.”
“Are you sure you want to introduce me to them?” Lilly was suddenly nervous. The last family she met, Beau’s parents, hadn’t liked her and made that plain.
“Of course. You introduced me to your family and your best friend. Why shouldn’t I do the same?” He tucked her arm under his and they continued walking. They had reached the place where the tree sat proudly in the center of the crowd, protected by a makeshift split-rail fence. A huge lever was stationed nearby and, following decades-old Juniper Junction tradition, the family who had won the town’s contest for the best-decorated house was gathered around it to flip the switch and turn the tree lights on at the appointed time. The atmosphere was festive and the falling snow and cold only added to the sparkle of the evening.
Lilly was standing where she could see Tighe and Laurel flanking their grandmother to keep her from being jostled by the crowd. Looking around, she noticed that Bill and Noley had caught up and were standing just behind her and Hassan. Her world felt complete.
Buzz was building among the crowd as the time grew closer for the tree lights to be flipped on for another holiday season in Juniper Junction. Hassan reached for Lilly’s hand and she squeezed back, thinking how nice it was to have someone to share the experience with her this year—someone other than family, that is.
The mayor of Juniper Junction stood and the crowd quieted as she made some brief remarks about the town and the beauty of the Christmas season in the Rocky Mountains, then issued a reminder to shop locally for the best gifts. She introduced the family to her left, the lucky family that would be lighting the giant tree that stood proudly just twenty feet away, its branches swaying in the stiff mountain wind.
The Juniper Junction custom was to turn off all the lights on the public square just seconds before lighting the tree. It made the tree lighting more dramatic when the only lights were the twinkling colored bulbs coming from the branches of the huge Douglas fir standing in the crowd.
The mayor counted down from ten and the crowd joined in. “three…two…one!”
Hassan bent his head and kissed Lilly’s lips the moment the tree lit up with thousands of fairy lights of every color. The experience would have been near-perfect without the kiss, but when he stood up straight again all she could think was that this had been the best tree-lighting in the world.
Chapter 38
Nearby she heard the crackle of Bill’s radio, which he still wore even though he wasn’t on duty. He listened for a moment, then tapped Lilly on the shoulder. “There’s a skirmish over by the chocolate shop. I’m going to go check that out. Can you take Mom back to my car?”
“Sure.” Lilly was still floating in her own perfect world, one filled with Hassan and Christmas trees and twinkly lights. She would have done anything anyone asked.
“Come on, Mom.” She made her way to the kids and her mother, then reached for her mother’s hand and started walking in the general direction of Bill’s car. The kids were going home with Noley. Hassan walked on one side of Beverly and Lilly walked on the other, making sure she didn’t stumble.
It wasn’t until they got to Bill’s car that Lilly realized he hadn’t given her the keys. She looked around for him, wondering what she should do. The later it got, the colder it would get. She didn’t want her mother standing around, freezing, until Bill was done with whatever he was doing. She tried calling his cell, but it went right to voice mail. She cursed him silently.
She made an executive decision. “Hassan, would you mind waiting here with Mom while I run back to Main Street to get my car? I shouldn’t be too long.”
“I don’t mind as long as your mom doesn’t,” he said with a smile at Beverly. “What do you say, Beverly?”
“That’s fine with me,” she said. “I’ll hang around with a handsome man anytime.”
“Mom!” Lilly scolded her.
“I call ‘em the way I see ‘em, Lilly,” Beverly replied. Hassan blushed slightly, but wore a broad grin.
Lilly sped off in the direction of Main Street, but soon had to slow her pace because she was getting out of breath. She hadn’t gone far when she spotted Taffy, moving through the crowd.
“Taffy!” Lilly called. “Wait up!”
Taffy turned around in surprise, then smiled when she saw Lilly approaching.
“Were you at the tree lighting?” Lilly asked.
“Yes. It was beautiful!” Taffy replied.
“Where are you headed?”
“Back to Main Street to get my car. BJ is waiting for me.”
“Do you and BJ want to come over to my house?” Lilly asked. “I’ve got a couple friends coming over for dinner, plus my kids and my mom.”
Taffy looked startled by the invitation and Lilly worried for a second time that she may have overstepped the employer-employee bounds. But Taffy recovered quickly. “That’s nice of you, but we should probably just go home tonight. I’m so tired. I think I could use a good night’s sleep so I can be ready for work in the morning,” Taffy replied with a wan smile.
“I understand perfectly,” Lilly
said.
Taffy’s car was parked along Main Street a few blocks from the jewelry store. She said goodbye and Lilly continued walking.
When she got to her own car she cranked up the heat so it would be nice and warm when her mother and Hassan joined her. She drove toward the square, then threaded her way through the people who were still standing around until she saw Hassan, standing half a head taller than anyone else nearby. She beeped lightly and Hassan looked in her direction. She got out of the car and waved at him, hoping he had seen her. He saw her and took Beverly by the arm, steering her toward Lilly. Lilly went around to the passenger side and opened the door for her mother, who climbed in wearily.
“Can you just take me home, Lilly?” she asked. “I’m so very tired. This young gentleman has been very entertaining, but I’m afraid I’m just want to go to bed.”
“Sure, Mom.” Lilly looked at her mother in concern, then took her by the arm and helped her into the front seat of the car. Hassan hopped in back.
When she pulled up in front of her mother’s house, Hassan was quick to get out of the car and help Beverly out and up the steps to the porch. With cold fingers Lilly fumbled to unlock her mother’s front door.
They all went inside where the only light was blinking red and came from the answering machine on a side table in the living room. Lilly hurried to switch on a lamp and the lights in the kitchen.
“You’ve got a message, Mom,” she said. Beverly sat down on the couch, still in her winter coat, and pressed the Play button.
“Hey, Bev. It’s Beau. Are we still on for lunch tomorrow? Give me a call.” He rattled off his number.
“What?!” Lilly exclaimed, her voice strident. “Mom, are you meeting Beau for lunch tomorrow?”
“Yes. He’s a nice young man—he’s even offered to help me around the house. We’re meeting for lunch to discuss his payment and what I need done around here.”
“Oh, no you’re not,” Lilly said, shaking her finger.
“Don’t you shake your finger at me, young lady,” Beverly said. “I’ll hire whomever I please to help me around here.”
How could her mother slip so seamlessly from confusion to lucidity to back again? Maybe it was the stress of being in a big crowd, followed by a long wait in the cold for Lilly to get the car. Whatever the reason, Lilly wasn’t about to let Beau work for her mother. She looked at Hassan and threw her hands in the air.
“We’ll talk about this later, Mom. For now, please promise me you won’t call Beau.”
“I will do no such thing.”
“Then I’ll call him myself,” Lilly said, striding over to the answering machine. She punched Play and grabbed a pen from the end table. Listening to the message again, she scribbled his number down on the palm of her hand, then she whipped out her cell phone. Beverly gave Lilly a withering look. Hassan looked from one woman to the other.
There was no answer, so Lilly left a message. “Beau? It’s Lilly. I’ve just heard the message you left for my mother on her answering machine. I don’t know what you’re up to, but I’m warning you to stay away from her.” She hung up.
“Mom, he hurt me, he hurt the kids, he hurt all of us. Why would allow him to come around here? To let him in your home, for God’s sake?”
Beverly remained silent, pressing her lips together in a thin line.
Lilly shot her a look of disgust. “Bill agrees with me.” Beverly finally spoke.
“You two don’t let me have my own life anymore,” she said, her lips trembling.
Hassan’s eyes widened as he realized he was about to be in the middle of an emotional mother-daughter conversation; Lilly could practically smell his fear. She turned to him. “Would you mind waiting for me in the car? Turn on the heater if you’re cold. I won’t be long.”
He nodded and said goodnight to Beverly, who returned his words with barely concealed incivility. He closed the door behind him and through the filmy white curtains in the living room window Lilly could see him walk down the steps to the sidewalk.
She turned back to her mother. “Mom,” she said, her voice softer now, “it’s not that Bill and I don’t want you to have your independence. We do. But we also want to make sure you’re okay. And if we know you’re planning on hiring someone who has hurt you in the past, we have an obligation to make sure that doesn’t happen so he can’t do that to our family again.”
“But it’s my house and he’s a very kind young man.”
“Mom, he’s tricking you. He’s not kind. I wish you could remember how he used to be. Do you remember that he and I were married?”
Beverly shook her head, looking at the floor. “Sometimes there’s a lot I don’t remember.”
“I know. That’s how dementia works. That’s why you have to trust Bill and me to veto decisions you make that might be dangerous.”
Beverly stood up, her shoulders slumped and her mouth turned downward in a look of abject sadness and realization. Lilly tried to swallow, but the lump in her throat made it almost impossible.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I wish it weren’t this way.”
Tears glistened in the corners of Beverly’ eyes. She blinked hard and they rolled down her cheeks. Lilly tried blinking back her own tears while she gathered her mother into her arms and held her there. Her mother’s soft white hair tickled her neck.
“It’s so hard to get old,” Beverly whispered into Lilly’s neck.
“I know, Mom. I know.”
Chapter 39
There was a knock at Beverly’s front door and it opened before mother and daughter had time to step apart. It was Bill.
“What’s going on? Mom, what’s wrong?” he asked, glancing at Lilly.
“Mom’s tired,” Lilly said.
Beverly nodded and pulled a tissue from her pocket. She dabbed her eyes and blew her nose. Bill put his arm around his mother’s thin shoulders and squeezed.
When Lilly and Bill left a few minutes later they made sure Beverly locked the front door behind them, and Lilly suggested that Bill drive over to her house where Noley and the kids were waiting. She slid into her own car, where Hassan had his eyes closed and was leaning against his headrest.
“Sorry about that,” Lilly said.
“Don’t be sorry. How’s your mom?”
“Weepy. She’s having a hard time giving up some of her independence. Has that happened to your parents?”
“Not yet, but I expect it will happen someday. When it does, I hope I’m as patient with them as you are with your mother.” He smiled at Lilly and touched the back of her hand.
“Thank you. I wish I could take all the hurt away.” The words hung in the air, both of them knowing it was impossible, but wishing for it nonetheless. Lilly changed the subject.
“Want to come to my house? No doubt Noley has whipped up something for dinner while we’ve been over here. She’s a great cook. Bill’s coming, too.”
“I’d like that.”
They drove to Lilly’s house, where they were met with a fire in the fireplace, a delicious scent wafting from the kitchen, and Noley and the kids playing a noisy board game in the living room. Bill was hanging his coat in the closet when Lilly and Hassan walked in.
Lilly lifted the lid from a pan on the stove, breathing in the heady scent of homemade tomato soup. “Noley, did you make this?” she called into the living room.
Noley and Laurel and Tighe had adjourned their game for a while, so all three wandered into the kitchen, followed by Hassan and Bill.
“No, Laurel did,” Noley answered.
Lilly looked at her daughter in surprise. “This smells wonderful! Thanks for making dinner for everyone.” Laurel beamed.
“I found the recipe online and it was really easy,” she replied.
“I can’t wait to try it,” Lilly said.
They all sat down to eat once the kids had chosen eggnog to drink and the adults each had a glass of red wine.
Laurel beamed under the lavish praise that everyone heaped on he
r over dinner. The tomato soup was delicious and just the perfect comfort food everyone needed that night. Talk over dinner turned to the weather, as it invariably did at dinner tables all through the Rocky Mountains. Everyone wanted to talk about a blizzard the meteorologists had been discussing.
“I hope it turns into a huge blizzard,” Laurel said. “They’ll have to close school for that.” She wrinkled her nose. “I read online that in Georgia they close schools for a forecast of snow.”
“Well, I hope the blizzard doesn’t materialize,” Bill said. “It’s always a headache going out to find the idiots who didn’t stay home and end up stranded.”
“It would be bad for business, that’s for sure,” Lilly said.
“It wouldn’t bother me,” Noley said. “I do all my work in the kitchen and on the computer.”
When dinner was over Hassan helped Lilly with the dishes while Bill and Noley remained at the table talking to the kids. Bill was asking Laurel all about her boyfriend.
“Nick’s a senior. He’s going to be a ski instructor.”
Bill glanced over at Lilly and they locked eyes for a moment. Lilly gave a quick shake of her head. Bill knew better than to press the subject of ski instruction.
“Where does he live?”
“In a condo just outside of Juniper Junction.”
“What do his parents do?”
“His mom works at the primary school and his dad works for the electric company.”
Bill nodded. “Sounds like a fine young man. He wouldn’t be dating you if he weren’t, I’m sure.” He winked at Laurel and she grinned.
“I should be going,” Noley announced when the kids had gone back upstairs. “I have to get up early. Lots to do tomorrow.”
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Bill offered. He stood up from the table and kissed Lilly’s cheek.
After Bill and Noley left and the dishes were done Lilly poured two more glasses of wine. She and Hassan took the glasses and sat down on the couch together in the living room. Lilly leaned her head back and sighed. “This has been such a wonderful evening. I mean, except for my mom getting upset and the discussion of Laurel’s boyfriend and the fact that I’m still a person of interest in two murders. You know, minor stuff.”
