by Emmie Lyn
“How could they possibly say no to an invitation like that?” I said, loading my comment with sarcasm. “Seriously, Tilly. Why would dedicated birders want to see plastic flamingoes?”
“Because, Ms. Rain-On-My-Idea, we’re also going to talk about the murder. I may drop a hint that I know something. That will get their attention.” She crossed her arms and flashed that gotcha-grin she wore so often.
“Do you?” I asked. “Know something?”
She grinned at me but said no more because one of the people from the birding group had come to the counter. “Excuse me. Could you serve me something from the dessert case over there?”
Tilly turned around to face the tall, fair-haired customer. “Peter Samson?” Was Tilly star struck I wondered when I heard the admiration in her voice? “When is your new bird book coming out?”
Peter’s grin spread across his chiseled face. He tipped his ball cap and said, “How kind of you to ask. In a few months, just in time for Christmas. It’s the perfect coffee table book if you know any bird aficionados.”
Tilly giggled like a schoolgirl. “I’m looking forward to it.” She was? That was news to me, but this was probably just her way to butter up Peter for something on her agenda. She slid a paper napkin and a pen across the counter. “Could I have your autograph? It would be such an honor.” She even fluttered her eyelashes.
Peter pulled a pen from his pocket and held it up.
“I always carry my own, a funny quirk of mine.” He scribbled his name in long flowing letters then clicked his thick gold pen and clipped it back in his shirt pocket. “When my book is out, I’ll bring you an autographed copy, and you can throw this away.” He handed Tilly the autographed napkin.
“I’ll hold you to that, Peter.” She moved to the pastry case. “Which one of these delicious treats can I get for you?”
He glanced at the birding group. “An assortment of cupcakes and donuts. How about… six carrot cupcakes, three glazed donuts, and a half dozen of the cinnamon and sugar donut holes.”
“Good choices, especially the donut holes,” I said, holding my drink out like I was offering it as a cheer. “Someone with the same favorite as mine.”
“Those are for our new member, Melanie,” he said. A blush crept into his cheeks. “She’s new in town and… I want her to keep coming to our meetings.”
“Oh.” Tilly wiggled an eyebrow. “A little bribery, which, in my opinion, is a sneaky plan but effective. One I’ve been known to use a time or two.” She filled a box and slid it across the counter to Peter. “Here you go. I’ve been thinking about the birding group. I’d love to learn more about our local birds.”
His eyebrows shot up under his shaggy sandy hair. “I didn’t know you were interested in birds, Tilly.”
She gave him her coy look. “Flamingoes.”
“Flamingoes?” he blurted out. It was all I could do to swallow a snort at his shocked expression.
She shrugged. “I happen to love flamingoes. Is that a problem?”
“Of course not. I just don’t see the connection between flamingoes and our local birds.”
Tilly flapped her hand, dismissing the comment. “Don’t overthink it. I already told Ron my idea, and he’s on board. I’ll see you at his house tonight. Actually, it’s not just about birds.” She lowered her voice. “I thought we could all brainstorm about who killed Andy.”
Peter picked up his box of pastries. “Isn’t that a job for the police?” he said warily. He held the box in front of his chest like it might protect him from this odd conversation before he had time to make a run for it. As far away as possible from Tilly.
“Sure, it is. But here’s the thing.” Tilly paused to make sure she had his attention, narrowing her eyes as though she had important news to break. “I heard from a very reliable source that one or more of your birding friends was on Ron’s property this morning. Get what I’m saying?”
Peter jolted backwards like he’d been struck by lightning. “Are you suggesting that one of my friends might be involved in this despicable act? We are all outstanding citizens of Pineville, not ruthless murderers.”
Tilly’s face lit up and she primped her silver hair as though she’d won a bet. “So, you’ll help with the investigation?”
I took a sip from my drink while Peter stared at Tilly. I think she’d gone too far this time.
Peter cleared his throat. “I’m not interested in investigating, but if we can all brainstorm about what happened, I suppose I’m in. I mean, Andy was down and out on his luck but not really a bad person. He did rub a lot of people the wrong way, but I think it was because he was so angry at life. He certainly didn’t deserve to be killed. For what?”
Tilly held up her finger, as though declaring a winner in a contest. “Good question. That’s what we need to find out before the police lock up the wrong person.”
“You don’t think it’s Jessica Golden?” Peter asked. “Everyone knows she hated Andy and was at the barn this morning looking for her daughter. She had a motive and the opportunity, and I even heard that the shovel that bashed in his head was hers. What more do the police need?”
A woman from the birding group, came up and stood behind Peter. I didn’t recognize her and assumed she was the newcomer, Melanie. She tapped him on his arm and said somewhat impatiently, “We’re all waiting for the donuts you promised. Are you caught up in all the boring gossip again?”
She wrinkled her nose as if it were such a waste of time.
“Are you coming?” she asked. When Peter turned around, Melanie dazzled him with a radiant smile. Her short dark curly hair framed her tanned face and I could see why he wanted to impress her. I imagined he was thrilled for the interruption, too. Besides the attention of a beautiful woman, he had an excuse to make his escape from Tilly. Win-win.
I fumed as I watched them retreat to their table, though. Gossip. It traveled through town like a plague. “The police need to find the real killer,” I muttered to myself in answer to Peter’s question. I’d heard enough from this man to know everyone was ready to lock Jess up and throw away the key so life could return to normal.
But that didn’t work for me. I wasn’t about to sit around while Izzy became motherless. Not for one second.
Tilly jabbed me again. “I see fire in your eyes, Sunny. And some smoke swirling from your ears, too. Welcome aboard with my plan.”
I finished my strawberry smoothie.
If jumping on board with her plan and those silly flamingoes was the perfect ice-breaker to entice this bird loving group to a get-together, count me in.
11
Everything had quieted down, and I hung up my apron. I needed a break that only a visit to our kittens would satisfy.
I walked through the door that led to the unique attraction of Shakes and Cakes that set it apart from all other cafes and restaurants in Pineville. In fact, our greenhouse-turned-kitty-haven, or, as we called it, our Kitty Castle, was the only one like it in all the communities surrounding Blueberry Bay. Sure, you could find pet shelters here and there. After all, we were a caring string of towns in this picturesque part of the world.
But offering delicious drinks and pastries along with the opportunity to relax with adorable fur babies and consider giving them a forever home? That was our unique stamp on this hospitality space.
And this morning, it was also home to our newest employee, Izzy. Another reason for my visit to the greenhouse, to check on my latest staffing and kitten acquisitions.
I pushed through the door, hoping Jasper had everything under control and the tabby kitties hadn’t gotten into trouble.
Instantly, Hitch’s arrangement of gorgeous orchids took my breath away and I paused, taking in the color and fragrance of the greenhouse. I caught Ron bowing his head toward Izzy, apparently explaining some detail about the bird nest she’d found. Too cute for words, and a moment I was sure Jess would love to see, so I pulled out my phone and snapped a photo.
If this didn’
t rekindle Jess’s feelings for this kind man, I didn’t know what would.
My beloved Newfoundland mix, Jasper, looked up and as soon as she recognized me, she broke away from the scene and lumbered to my side. “How’s it going in here?” I said as I bent down to her level. “Do you have everything under control?” She was noncommittal, paying more attention to the hearty rubdown I was giving her as I waited for the humans in the room to notice my presence.
As I expected, Izzy jumped up at the sound of my voice, her face almost unable to contain her smile and excitement. “Sunny. Guess what?”
“What?” I asked, picking up on her enthusiasm.
“Ron thinks the kittens and Whisker Puff should stay here. Isn’t that great? You can find homes for them.” Her intensity filled the whole greenhouse with that special kid energy.
“If that’s okay with you,” Ron added a bit sheepishly. “I told Izzy we had to ask you first.”
I scooped up the smallest kitten and held it at eye level. Two trusting blue-gray eyes stared at me from a tan, white and gray face. “What do you think?” I asked. “Would you like help finding a wonderful family with kids to play with? Or, maybe a quiet house with a lonely couple who would spoil you rotten?”
Izzy laughed and danced around me. “You talk to them? I do, too. The other kids all think I’m a little, you know, silly to talk to animals. But, the animals like it. I mean, I know that they won’t answer me with words or anything like that, but I can feel that they know I want to help them.”
I could feel the relief she exuded from knowing she had a kindred spirit with whom she could be herself. It showed in her voice and the glow in her eyes. My heart melted.
“I’m sure they do, Izzy. Animals understand our tone and body language. They know when someone is kind, but it still can be hard for them to trust us if someone has been mean to them. These little kittens won’t take long to adjust with all the love you’re giving them, but Whisker Puff might take longer, I think.” I spied her staying close to her kittens but eyeing us and Jasper suspiciously. She held her ground like a protective mom. A lot like Jess watched over Izzy, I realized. Like all mothers.
“Andy was nice to them,” Izzy said. “He was nice to me too, but Mom didn’t like him. She didn’t take the time to get to know him.” I heard defiance in her voice; something she didn’t like or understand about her mother’s choice.
Ron stood up, sending Whisker Puff dashing behind a large potted rubber tree. “Sorry,” he said to the cat. “She’s really only comfortable around Izzy. Anyway, I guess I have to go back to your shop and put in some time with the birding group.”
I felt sorry for him. He’d been engaged while Izzy and I talked about the kittens, but now? Completely deflated like he’d drifted off to some painful, parallel universe.
“I’ll walk out with you, Ron. Can you stay here with the kittens, Izzy?”
“That’s my job.”
“It is, but if you need a break, let me know.”
She nodded and plopped on the ground next to Jasper, seeming to forget all about the adults. I got the message that she was fine, thank you very much. But I knew that as loveable as the kittens were, they could wear you out. I’d check with her later about a break.
Ron and I walked to the door and when we were out of Izzy’s ear shot, I said, “People are saying that someone from the birding group was at your place this morning. Did you see anyone?”
He looked away, which gave me the impression there was something he didn’t want to share. He sighed. “Only Jess. She came back a second time after I told Andy to leave. He was outside. They argued and then she followed him into the barn. I’m sick about it.”
“You told Chief Bullock?”
“I had to, Sunny. He had me cornered with a dead person on my property. If I lied, how would that look?”
I reached for his arm to stop him from walking into the shop. “Did you see Jess leave the barn and drive away?”
He looked at the floor. “By then, I’d walked around to the far side of my field where I couldn’t see the driveway. So, no. I didn’t see her leave or anyone else arrive.”
I wanted him to think really carefully about any possibility. “But someone could have parked somewhere else and walked to the barn?”
“That’s possible.”
“Like one of your birding friends who knows your property well from the different walks you’ve led?” I wasn’t even sure if that was true, but it sounded probable.
“Sure.” He looked at me a refreshing innocence. I could see why he and Izzy hit it off. He was definitely the adult, but in some way, they’d connected on the same wavelength. He let out a big sigh. “But why would one of them kill Andy?”
I opened the door and ushered him inside ahead of me as I answered his question. “I don’t know, but that’s what we have to find out unless you want to see Jess locked up. It hasn’t even been twenty-four-hours, and the whole town seems to think she did it.”
His mouth fell open.
“Do you want to help?” I asked.
Ron glanced back at Izzy, happily playing with a couple of kittens in her lap. “Of course, I’ll help. I’ll do anything for Jess and Izzy. Besides, I can’t believe Jess followed Andy into the barn and killed him. She was looking for Izzy. Someone else must have found Andy in the barn, but I don’t know who.”
I dropped my voice, in case someone came out to visit the kittens. “Tilly has a plan. She told me she already invited herself to your meeting tonight and she mentioned it to Peter.”
Ron smirked. “Peter’s a bit of a snob in my opinion. You know, the ‘author’ thing that he likes to gloat about. He didn’t take the photos for his new book. He hired Andy to get the shots he wanted. I shouldn’t knock him, though. He does know a lot about birds and not just the local species. He’s like a walking encyclopedia.”
My ears perked up. “Really?” This put a new spin on things. “Maybe he didn’t want to give Andy credit for the photos,” I said. Get what he wanted and then kill the worker bee. Easy peasy.
Ron shook his head vehemently. “Oh no, Peter put in a big bio about Andy right in the beginning of the book. He praised him for his talent and how they developed a close relationship while they worked together. It was a bit over the top in my opinion, but that’s how Peter is. Everything has to be bigger and better than everyone else. I also think that Peter liked the look of how he helped a starving photographer down on his luck more than the actual help he provided. But that’s just my opinion.”
I was beginning to feel like Sherlock Holmes, putting the clues together. “Interesting,” I said. “That’s how Andy ended up living in your barn? Peter didn’t want to help him find a place to live?”
“You hit the nail on the head.” Ron let out one of those dismissive grunts that suggested he agreed but there was nothing he could do about it. “I guess Peter had his limits. And, since I let Andy sleep in my barn, I was privy to those details. Peter even paid Andy up front to help him out. I do think Peter genuinely liked Andy at some level. But you’re right, the help only went so far.”
I opened the door leading into the shake shop. “You know, I probably shouldn’t even say this, but will Andy’s death generate publicity for Peter’s book?”
Ron zeroed on his birding friends in the shop before he answered me. “I wondered that, too. With the final edits done, Peter didn’t need Andy’s talent anymore. At least not for that project, but for all I know they had something else in the works.”
“There you are,” Stacy said as she approached, sending a scowl my way. She hustled to Ron’s side. “It’s not like you to ignore us. We want to give you space to deal with the terrible events of this morning, but we’re all worried about you.”
She gently scolded Ron like he was a naughty little boy. Didn’t Ruby tell me that she mothered him? It seemed more like she smothered him. He smiled at her so maybe he was used to that treatment. And, maybe he liked it.
Stacy tugged on
his arm, pulling him toward the group. “Do you still feel up to having a meeting later?”
He shook his head. “Let’s just get together and remember Andy. Okay? There are a few other people who would like to come, too.”
“Oh?”
I heard disappointment in Stacy’s voice. Was she hiding something? Or protecting someone?
Time would tell.
12
Jess rushed through the door at Shakes and Cakes just before closing time, her ponytail spilling curls around her face, a grease stain on the front of her no-longer crisp blouse, and every trace of her lip gloss gone from the worried frown around her mouth.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t come by sooner to pick up Izzy,” she said in a breathless rush. “After Officer Walker was done with me,” she grimaced like the ordeal was awful, “I rushed over to A Donut A Day. It was so busy, time just flew by before I even realized that Izzy had been here for hours,” she blurted out before she took a deep breath. “I hope she hasn’t been any trouble.”
“Not a lick of trouble, Jess. No worries,” I said as I put the last of the fruit for our smoothies in the fridge. “Izzy is amazing with the kittens. I’m happy to have her here. I couldn’t ask for a better helper.”
Relief drained from Jess’s face but was replaced with a dose of guilt. “You must think I’m a terrible mom.” She plopped onto one of the counter stools and rested her forehead on her hands.
“Stop,” I said, alarmed at her state of mind. “Just stop right there. You’re juggling three jobs and raising your daughter by yourself. No one thinks you aren’t putting every ounce of energy into what’s best for Izzy. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
She gave me a weak smile.
“Listen, it’s easy for me to have a stress-free relationship with Izzy since I don’t have to discipline her or worry about her like you do. That baggage never enters into what’s between us. Plus, with kittens climbing all over her while she’s here, she’s happy and busy. I wish more people had half the empathy that shines from Izzy.”
