True to their word, Jules and Tish retreated down the hallway, through the living room, and into the foyer, where they turned the twist knob of the deadbolt and shut the front door behind them.
The pair remained close-mouthed for the first block of their walk back to the lifestyle center. It was Jules who finally broke the silence. ‘I hope Ms Morris is OK. She was awfully wobbly.’
‘I hope so, too. I tend to think it’s all the excitement over Shackleford’s murder. She lives right next door; it must be quite frightening.’
‘Not frightening enough for her to lock her front door.’
Tish shrugged. ‘That doesn’t mean she wasn’t scared. Just means she didn’t give in to her fears.’
‘People of her generation are resilient, aren’t they? I have a great-aunt in her eighties who still insists on making chicken and dumplings for our Christmas Eve gathering. Everyone keeps offering to change the menu or even bring food in, but she won’t hear of it. That’s the way Christmas Eve has always been and that’s the way it’ll continue to be.’
‘I wonder if we’ll be that stubborn in our old age.’
Jules broke into hysterics. ‘Old age? You’re that stubborn now.’
‘I suppose you’re right. I can be rather tenacious.’
‘Honey, you can be as tough as a pine knot.’
They had reached the lifestyle-center parking lot. ‘When it comes to being tough, I don’t hold a candle to Ms Morris. Still, I plan to check in with her first thing in the morning. Under the pretense of collecting our tray, of course.’
‘Good call. Both the heat and stress can take a serious toll. And even though she loves her daily walks, she should probably take it easy until it cools off some.’
Tish agreed. ‘So, I’d best be getting back to the café.’
‘Yeah, I’m gonna dash to that convenience store just down the road and see if I can pick up a decent bouquet of flowers. I don’t want to show up at Mrs Newman’s empty-handed.’
‘No, you could have your Official Southerner Card revoked.’ Tish embraced her friend. ‘Well, have a good time tonight.’
‘Yeah.’ He returned the hug. ‘Say hello to MJ and the kids for me. I’ll miss seeing them.’
‘I know, but they’ll be fine. I’ll explain to them that you have another engagement. They’ll totally understand.’
‘I hope so, because I can’t really turn down a night of Mahjong, booze, and good Southern home cooking, can I?’ Despite the dazzling smile on his face, it was quite clear that the only person Jules was trying to convince was himself.
‘You’d be foolish if you did.’
‘I know, right? Well, I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Seven thirty?’ he asked as he climbed behind the wheel of his black Mini Cooper.
‘Perfect,’ she proclaimed and watched as Jules pulled out of the parking lot and turned left on Coleton Creek Way, toward the community’s passcode-secured front gates.
When Jules was out of view, Tish opened the driver’s side door of the Matrix and perched upon the front bumper of the car while the hot air trapped inside the vehicle escaped. With nothing but the sound of singing birds and a gentle breeze rustling the trees, the few minutes’ quiet was exactly what Tish needed to clear her head.
In the midst of all the chatter, all the investigations, all the luncheon preparations, she could perceive that something wasn’t quite right. There was, of course, the matter of Jules – his odd behavior and, beneath the surface, an impalpable sadness. But that, Tish determined, could be remedied after the luncheon by means of a candid discussion and her undivided attention.
No, Tish decided, there was something else. Something completely unrelated to Jules and his pool high jinks. Something she’d noticed but had since forgotten. Something she couldn’t quite place.
FOURTEEN
Tish arrived at Cookin’ the Books both exhausted and meditative, but her mood promptly lifted at the sight of Kayla Okensholt and Charlotte Ballantyne standing outside the café, laughing and smiling while playing with a highly animated, tail-wagging Biscuit.
Tish brought the car to a stop at the end of the parking lot and, tossing her car keys in her handbag, strode across the gravel-lined area to greet them. ‘Hi, ladies. Is Biscuit behaving for you?’
‘Oh my gosh, Aunt Tish, he’s the sweetest little dog,’ Kayla exclaimed as she threw her arms around Tish’s torso. ‘He’s like the best medicine ever.’
‘Good.’ Tish returned the hug and planted a kiss on top of the girl’s auburn head. With her arm still around Kayla’s shoulders, she turned her attention to the raven-haired girl with the pixie haircut. ‘Charlotte, I can’t thank you enough for helping out here today. You’re a real lifesaver.’
‘No problem. When it was quiet, Celestine taught me a pretty awesome piping technique. I’m going to use it on my dad’s birthday cake next month.’
‘Celestine is a cake goddess, isn’t she?’ Tish acknowledged as she bent down to give Biscuit a pat on the head. Since she’d last seen the dog, his collar and kitchen twine had been replaced by a fluorescent yellow harness and a retractable leash, which was being controlled by Charlotte. ‘Someone’s moved up in the world.’
‘Schuyler thought Biscuit needed to be wearing something more visible in case we need to walk him at night,’ Kayla explained.
Tish stood up. ‘And the leash?’
‘It retracts so we won’t trip over it.’
Schuyler Thompson had clearly thought of every eventuality. ‘Ah, fancy.’
‘You should see Biscuit’s new bed,’ Charlotte said. ‘Kayla and I might not be able to find him to walk him in the morning.’
Kayla, prompted by Charlotte’s comment about the morning, asked, ‘Oh, yeah, is it OK if Charlotte stays over tonight?’
‘As long as it’s OK with your mom and Charlotte’s dad, it’s fine with me.’
‘I called my dad. He’s cool with it,’ Charlotte confirmed.
‘Mom is, too. Charlotte and I are sharing a giant sleeping bag in her room,’ Kayla explained. ‘By the way, Gregory’s here. He brought his friend, Anthony.’
‘That’s great news,’ Tish exclaimed. ‘I’m so relieved your mother managed to get him to come.’
‘More than that, he’s staying the night. Anthony, too. They’ll be on the pullout sofa in the living room, if that’s OK.’
Tish was ecstatic to have Mary Jo and her children united under one roof, although the puzzle of how six people and one dog might comfortably share a two-bedroom apartment with one bathroom was a conundrum even the logistical masterminds at the CIA or MI5 would struggle to resolve. ‘That’s … wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. How is your mother?’
‘Meh. She tried to call my dad and invite him to dinner tonight, but it turned into a shouting match. Gregory and I both tried texting him afterward to get him to come to dinner, but he never replied.’
‘I’m sorry, honey. It’s a tough time right now, for everyone, but your father loves you. He’ll eventually come around.’
‘Yeah, well, Gregory and I might have been a little bit … angry when we texted him. I think I used like a thousand exclamation marks. If I were him, I’m not sure I’d answer me either.’ Kayla cast down her eyes and bit her lip.
‘Hey, it’s OK to feel angry right now. Give it a day and try contacting him tomorrow with a different tone. I’m sure he’ll answer you.’
Charlotte folded her arms across her chest. ‘That’s what I told her.’
Charlotte, her mother having been sent to prison, had been working through her own anger issues of late. Tish draped an arm around each of the young women and pulled them close. ‘The two of you possess such strength, brains, and beauty. You both make me very proud to know you. So, shall we go in and see what’s for dinner?’
Kayla piped up. ‘Schuyler ordered from Antonio’s. We’re getting pizzas, pastas, salad, and meatballs without sauce for Biscuit.’
‘Your boyfriend is really great,’ Charlot
te praised.
‘Pardon?’ The term ‘your boyfriend’ caught Tish completely off guard.
‘Schuyler,’ Kayla clarified. ‘He’s totally sweet, and cool, and smart, and perfect.’
‘Yeah, and he’s kinda hot. You know, for an old guy,’ Charlotte added.
Kayla nodded in complete accord.
Tish took umbrage at the girls’ description of Schuyler as being an old guy, but she decided to laugh it off. ‘I’ll be sure to let him know his Geritol supplements are working.’
The girls probably hadn’t a clue as to what Geritol might be, but it didn’t matter. They were more concerned Tish might pass along their compliments. As they squealed and giggled and begged Tish not to tell Schuyler they said he was hot, Tish watched through the front windows of the café as the man himself, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a kitchen towel over one shoulder, conversed with Mary Jo and Celestine while he arranged the tables for dinner.
Kayla was right. He was perfect.
As if he could sense Tish watching him, Schuyler looked up and waved out the window before moving to the wooden screen door of the café.
‘He’s coming this way,’ Kayla exclaimed.
The girls, tittering all the way, ran off with Biscuit.
‘What’s that all about?’ Schuyler asked as he approached.
‘They were just debriefing me on all your accomplishments this evening.’
Schuyler eyed the girls as they giggled at a distant corner of the parking lot. ‘Uh-oh,’ he stated in a tone of exaggerated concern. ‘I hope I got a good report card.’
‘It was quite exceptional, actually.’
Schuyler slid his hands around Tish’s waist and pulled her closer. ‘Good. Do I get an ice-cream cone?’
‘Maybe. If you eat all your dinner. But for now …’ She gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.
‘Scratch the ice cream. I’ll have more of that.’ Spying Charlotte and Kayla watching and whispering, he changed the mood of the conversation. ‘How was your visit with Zadie?’
‘Good. She seemed to enjoy the scone and cream, even though she wasn’t feeling well. Jules and I had to help her to bed, poor thing. I think this whole murder investigation is getting to her.’
‘Understandable.’ Schuyler removed his hands from Tish’s waist and began leading her to the café.
‘I’m going to check on her first thing in the morning.’
‘Good idea. I promised Gregory a game of basketball early tomorrow morning, but I can swing by Coleton Creek afterward if you need my help.’
Tish was astounded by Schuyler’s never-ending generosity. ‘You have a basketball date with my best friend’s son?’
‘I know he’s going through a tough time right now. If it helps to have another man around to talk to, I figured I might as well be that man.’
‘If you don’t stop, I’m going to be forced to kiss you again,’ she teased.
‘Then I’d better keep on going.’
Tish laughed. ‘As for your offer to stop by Coleton Creek tomorrow, I should be fine. Celestine and Jules are with me all day. And it’s a buffet, so it’s far easier than a sit-down luncheon.’
‘Well, if you change your mind …’
‘Thanks. But I think you’ve done enough already. You helped me in the kitchen …’
‘As I said, I like being near you.’
‘You’ve taken care of dinner …’
‘I placed a phone order.’
‘And you took care of Biscuit.’
‘It’s been fun. I never had a dog growing up.’
‘Was he good for you? He didn’t make a mess, did he?’
‘No. He went in the pet-store parking lot, just like he should, and he’s been well behaved since we’ve gotten here. Still, I got some pads for tonight. Just in case he sneaks in to sleep with the girls.’
‘You think of everything, don’t you?’
‘I try. Oh, I also stopped and got you a little treat. Remember that Chardonnay you liked during our wine-tasting trip to Charlottesville?’
‘Not the one from Monticello?’
‘The same. It’s chilling in the refrigerator. I’ll go pour you a glass,’ he announced as they stepped over the threshold of Cookin’ the Books.
As Schuyler traveled behind the counter to fetch the drink, Tish greeted Mary Jo and Celestine, who were busy setting the bank of café tables Schuyler had pushed together.
Celestine, wearing her typical workday garb of bright floral-printed sleeveless top, denim Capri pants, and orthopedic sandals, stood at the windowed side of the resulting banquet table, folding cloth napkins into triangles. As she placed each napkin on the table and gave it a sturdy crease, her oversized hot-pink earrings – orchestrated to match both her lipstick and pedicure – jingled like tiny wind chimes against her unnaturally crimson hair.
‘Hey, Celestine,’ Tish greeted.
‘Hey, sugar. How was your day?’
‘Busy. And yours?’
‘Good. Great big lunch crowd, then everyone cleared out for the hot part of the day. Charlotte did good.’
In stark contrast to Celestine’s bold style, Mary Jo stood on the opposite side of the table, nearest the counter. Devoid of all makeup and jewelry – including the yellow-gold and diamond wedding ring set she’d worn for nearly twenty years – Mary Jo had knotted her highlighted shoulder-length brunette locks into a messy bun at the nape of her neck and pulled on a pajama-like ensemble of black-and-white striped terrycloth tunic and white stretch-knit pants. She stood barefoot on the café tile as she meted out silverware and plates.
‘How are you, honey?’ Tish asked as she gave Mary Jo a hug.
She shrugged. ‘I don’t know anymore. I called Glen to invite him to dinner with the promise that if he came, I wouldn’t argue with him, only to wind up in a huge argument over the phone.’
‘Kayla told me. What happened?’
‘Glen told me he couldn’t make the dinner because he was spending the weekend with Lisa – that’s his girlfriend’s name – and felt he needed to put some distance between us in order to gain perspective on our life together and focus on what he wants from his future. Can you believe that? Perspective. If he’d had any sense of perspective to begin with, he wouldn’t have tossed his family aside for some tart in her twenties!’
‘Is that how young …?’
‘Yes, Lisa’ – Mary Jo hissed the name – ‘is a first-grade teacher at our elementary school. One of Kayla’s friends has a younger brother who’s her student.’
Schuyler rescued Tish from having to provide further comment by depositing a chilled glass of Chardonnay in her hand.
‘Anyhoo,’ Mary Jo went on, ‘I lost it. I shouldn’t have, but I did. Not only was I angry that Glen, who rarely spent any time with us, was now spending the weekend with this trollop, but I was furious that he’s so willing to push his children aside to start this wonderful new life. Our children – his children – are grappling with the fact that their father won’t be living with them any longer, and all he can think about is his future?’
‘It’s as if he’s lost his mind,’ Tish remarked.
‘Midlife crisis,’ was Celestine’s verdict. ‘Mr Rufus went through one a few years back. Dyed his hair jet black and got Carpe Diem tattooed in big, red letters on his upper left arm. Only thing was, Troy, the tattoo artist, was a bit of a tippler in those days and forgot the first “e.”’
Schuyler’s eyes narrowed as he visualized the resulting artwork. ‘Carp diem?’
‘Yep. Mr Rufus didn’t notice the mistake till he got back home. So he went back to Troy and asked him to fix it. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough space to add the “e,” so Troy tattooed a giant fish underneath the letters, instead.’
Uncertain whether or not they should laugh, Tish, Schuyler, and Mary Jo fell into an awkward silence.
‘So, um, yeah, he may not have gotten a fish tattoo, but Glen could totally be suffering a midlife crisis,’ Tish submit
ted after several seconds had elapsed.
‘I admit, I wondered that myself,’ Mary Jo allowed. ‘But it doesn’t matter much now, does it? I know I’ll survive this. And, someday, perhaps I’ll forgive Glen for destroying our marriage the way he has, but if he continues to hurt our children by maintaining his “distance” – well, that’s something I could never forgive.’
‘I hear ya. If someone ever inflicted pain on my children, they’d be introduced the back of my cast-iron skillet,’ Celestine agreed.
‘I’m sure Glen will still be a father to Gregory and Kayla,’ Tish maintained. ‘He may not have spent much time at home, but he’s always been there for the important moments. This is all new to everyone. Maybe a weekend without the kids will make him realize how much he misses them and needs them in his life.’
‘I hope you’re right. There was a time when I wouldn’t have believed Glen could ever be unfaithful, let alone run off with some twenty-something schoolteacher, so I’m sorry if I’m not too optimistic about his parenting skills right now.’
‘You’ve every right to be skeptical.’ Schuyler placed a reassuring hand on Mary Jo’s shoulder. ‘Although we can’t offer any guarantees regarding your husband’s future conduct, we can promise that we’ll be there for you and the kids every step of the way.’
‘Amen,’ Celestine seconded.
Mary Jo’s eyes grew glassy. ‘I can’t thank you all enough. I don’t know where we’d be without your help.’
Tish flashed a gentle smile. ‘You’ll never have to find out.’
‘Unless, of course, the upstairs apartment floor gives way into the café,’ Celestine joked. ‘Four kids, two adults, and a dog in a tiny apartment. And I thought I was crazy.’
Mary Jo’s face filled with sudden worry. ‘Oh, you don’t mind the kids having friends stay, do you, Tish?’
‘Of course not. They need support just as you do, and it’s good for them to have the distraction.’
‘By the way, Tish, I dashed home and brought over some extra sheets and pillows, so y’all will be a bit more comfortable,’ Celestine announced.
‘Thanks, I’m afraid I have enough linens for the spare bedroom but hadn’t actually thought of the sofa bed. I didn’t anticipate needing it so quickly.’
The Garden Club Murder Page 14
