by Ellen Riggs
“Find a reason to arrest me. I know. But I’ve just given you a couple of solid leads, Kellan. Find the collectors of exotic pets and superhero toys.”
He was still protesting as I pushed into the bushes, and I called back, “You’re wasting time, Chief. Go get your man.”
Chapter Fourteen
I’d had no trouble finding Nadine’s house because Charlie told me about the ornate sign on the front lawn advertising her services as a realtor. He was now home and comfortable after getting an X-ray. Nothing but torn ligaments, apparently, but he’d still be off for a couple of weeks. Luckily I still had Gwen Quinn’s card, and she gladly agreed to step in as farmhand. She didn’t seem fazed by the recent “pranks” at the farm, noting that plenty of people were still bitter about things that had happened at Runaway Farm before my time. She promised to double check everything morning and night. That made me feel a little calmer as I walked up Nadine’s front stairs.
Nadine’s finely-plucked eyebrows rose when she opened the door and saw me on the porch with Keats. “Ivy, what a surprise. Come in, both of you.”
I could tell at a glance there’d be no offer of baked goods here. Nadine was in a scanty yoga outfit and there wasn’t an ounce of pie on her. Clearly there was a lot to be said for so-called fads like hot yoga.
“I won’t keep you long,” I said, following her into the living room and taking a seat on the couch. “I just wanted to chat about the farm with you. I think you may have been right.”
“How so?” She sank gracefully into a chair and crossed her legs, lotus style.
I scratched Keats’ head, considering my wording. “So many things have gone wrong lately that I’m starting to think it really is cursed. I’m afraid of what’s coming next.” I sat back and sighed. “On top of that, I’m afraid I’m going to lose my shirt because the inn won’t succeed. Maybe I was better off in the city.”
“Don’t be so hasty,” she said. “It’s far too early to give up on Clover Grove.” Her voice was rich and soothing… almost seductive. “The police will get this sorted out soon enough and you’ll get your inn launched. I really think there’s a market for the upscale farm experience.”
“I don’t know. I’m just getting a really bad feeling about it. You predicted I’d want to sell and I guess you were right.”
Her eyes widened and I wondered how she kept her makeup so nice if hot yoga was her passion.
“I’m so sorry I discouraged you, Ivy. This is your dream and you need to give it a fair try. I shouldn’t have been so flippant.”
“You were just being honest and I appreciate it. I didn’t want to believe the place had a black cloud over it. First, Lloyd, and now someone is sabotaging my animals.” I told her briefly about the rogue pig and Charlie’s accident. “I’m so stressed about everything that I think I need to bail while I still can.”
Nadine unfolded her elegant legs and came over to perch beside me on the couch. “Ivy, just relax. I have complete faith in Chief Harper. He’ll get to the bottom of this soon. Lloyd didn’t cover all his tracks, I’m quite sure of that.”
“I can’t relax. What if Lloyd was just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Maybe someone was actually trying to kill me and he got in the way?”
“I doubt that very much.” She patted my leg with a perfectly manicured hand. “You haven’t been around long enough to have enemies like Lloyd did. Now, take a deep breath. In for five, out for five. In for five, out for five.”
I did as she said and felt calmer instantly. “Maybe I should try yoga. What’s the best studio in town? I was surprised to see so many had cropped up.”
“Serenity Yoga Studio, hands down. Try the hot class with Hayden. It’ll change your life.” Getting up, she walked over to the doorway to the kitchen. There was a chin-up bar mounted near the top. Wrapping her fingers around it, she knocked off a few lifts with impressive ease. “Before Hayden I could barely lift a coffee mug,” she said, dropping to the floor.
“Wow. Sold. I’ll definitely give it a try.” Blowing out another deep breath, I said, “Would you mind if I had a glass of water? I think all the stress is dehydrating me.”
I followed her into the kitchen, peering around as she opened the fridge and reached for a bottle of water. In the corner near the back door sat the box I’d seen in her basket at Myrtle’s the day we’d met. Rat poison.
She offered me the water. “Drink up. And then proceed directly to yoga. If you still want to think about selling the farm in a few months, I’m your gal.”
“But I want to sell right now, before I lose my investment.” I twisted open the bottle of water and took a swig. “This took everything I had, Nadine.”
Looking down at Keats, she leaned against the counter and sighed. “Honey, I’ve got to be honest. You won’t get your investment back today—not with a murder hanging over the farm. Even developers shy away from things like that. And unless my intel is wrong, there are stipulations on your selling to developers anyway. Hannah Pemberton was adamant about keeping her animals safe.”
“Your intel is correct.” I paced up and down the ivory tile floor. “I’d need to speak to her first, of course. She couldn’t have envisioned someone being killed at Runaway Farm or Charlie being injured. Her animals aren’t safe now as it is, let alone me and my staff and friends.”
“I’m sure you’re exaggerating the risk.” It looked like she was trying to frown but the muscles of her face didn’t move much. Botox, perhaps. “Just give things time to settle.”
“I don’t have time, and I don’t have as much faith in the police as you do.” I stared at her earnestly. “Can you think of anything I could look into? Any other enemies Lloyd might have?”
“Honestly, he had plenty. It seemed like he was always in trouble with someone.” She pushed her hair back and sighed. “He came to me for money not long ago. As if I’d give him a cent when he was stalling on finalizing the divorce settlement. Like I told you before, he was worried about the reptiles. Where would he put them if he had to downgrade to an apartment?”
“I’m sure you just wanted it over and behind you.”
“You can’t imagine how much.” She gestured around the small house. “I’m only renting here because I couldn’t sell our joint property. But I tried to be patient. A good person.” She pushed off the counter and got a bottle of water from the fridge herself. “The snakes mattered to him more than I did.”
“I doubt that’s true. He seemed disheartened over the divorce the day we spoke.”
She chugged half the water and wiped her mouth on her bare arm. “Not enough to part with his prize pythons. The biggest one could have easily killed him. Or me, if she got out. I lived in fear.”
“He must have liked the thrill,” I said. “She was terrifying.”
“I haven’t thanked you properly,” she said, squeezing my arm. “You’re very brave.”
“You’ll tell the chief, though, right? I don’t think I can face it again.”
“I’ll tell him everything,” she said. “We’re meeting again later and I doubt he’ll be as easy on me this time.”
“You have nothing to hide,” I said. “The more you share, the sooner this is all over and you move on.”
“I’ve been wracking my brains trying to come up with names for him. But Lloyd didn’t really confide in me anymore. Understandably.”
“Why would he be short of money? He had a civic job that probably paid decently.”
“He always had expensive hobbies,” she said. “When I didn’t offer him money, he said there were places in town he could get it. I’m seriously hoping he didn’t do anything stupid, because they could come after me to recover the debt.”
“Like a loan shark? Or a gang?”
She shrugged. “I only hear rumours. And seriously, Ivy, you do not want to go nosing around in that dirty business. Clover Grove has a dark side, too.”
“Really?” Now my surprise was genuine. “I had no idea.”
&
nbsp; “Sorry to disillusion you. Mostly it’s as bucolic as the marketing material says.” She gestured toward the front door. “I hate to rush you, but I’ve got a house showing in half an hour and need to put on something more sedate.” She grinned at me. “Yoga still gets a bad rap from the old schoolers. Clover Grove is stuck in a time warp.”
I took a detour to the back door and picked up the box of rat poison. It was light—nearly empty. “This stuff work?” I asked. “I’ve had a heck of a time with rats at the farm. Hannah’s dog was a ratter but it’s beneath Keats, I’m afraid.”
She nodded. “It’s done the job here, although it’s taken a couple of boxes. I wouldn’t recommend it on the farm though. What if one of your critters ate a poisoned rat? I actually had Lloyd come by and deal with the remains.” She waved an elegant hand. “No way was I touching them.”
I stopped at the front door. “Thanks for your advice, Nadine. Please keep me posted if you hear of anyone who might be interested in buying a cursed farm.”
“Oh, stop it. That is the last time I ever joke like that with potential clients. I could get a bad reputation myself.” She shrugged. “Worse than being a potential murderer, that is.”
I tipped my head. “You’re taking it pretty well.”
“Yoga,” she said, with a beatific smile. “I’ve surrendered to the process, and you should, too. The truth will come out and we’ll get on with our lives.” She looked down at Keats and he stared up at her. “You too, handsome.”
Keats’ tail rose and gave a restrained wave. Normally he was immune to flattery but he seemed rather disposed to Nadine. The yoga wear was wasted on him but he did like a seductive voice.
I doubted he was alone in that, and I was determined to find out.
Chapter Fifteen
Gwen was hurling hay bales around with ease when I went down to the barn the next morning after another four-course breakfast in Jilly’s test kitchen. Since moving here I’d adopted intermittent fasting without meaning to. One day I feasted, the next I fasted unintentionally while I chased pigs or clues. The result was some weight loss I hadn’t really needed. On the bright side, I wouldn’t look half bad in Jilly’s borrowed yoga gear when we joined Hayden for yoga later.
“I just wanted to thank you again for pitching in for Charlie. Literally,” I said when Gwen turned. “You’re a lifesaver.”
“Not at all,” she said, pushing back her Clover Grove Herding Club cap with the little black sheep on the logo. “This is my idea of play, not work. Maybe I could borrow Keats later to chase the sheep around. I want to practice my moves before the herding trial next week.”
Keats eased behind me as if he’d understood her words. “He’s coming with me today,” I said. “Like every day, pretty much. We’ve been tied at the hip since I rescued him.”
Gwen looked down and saw the dog lurking behind me and laughed. “Mama’s boy. Maybe I’ll swing home and get Paisley if you don’t mind another dog on the property.”
“Not at all. Keats isn’t territorial. And the sheep are all yours.”
Gwen peered around. “Where’s your sheep hook? I could have used it yesterday. One of the ewes got flighty.”
My eyes shot to the wall where it had hung, hoping it might have suddenly materialized. “Lost track of it after I moved,” I said, improvising on the fly. “It’ll turn up eventually.”
“It better,” Gwen said. “Around here they say much depends on your lucky hook.”
“Well, that explains a lot, I guess.” I gave Florence a kiss on her graying muzzle. “I haven’t had much luck since I got here, and unless it turns, my inn’s doomed.”
“Never mind that kind of talk,” Gwen said, going back to forking hay into the cow pen. “I’ll look around for it today while I’m playing with the sheep.”
“Sounds good,” I said, heading back to where Jilly was waiting by the truck. She didn’t go into the barn unless she absolutely had to. Her clothes, shoes and hair still said city girl and I doubted that would change, no matter how long she stayed.
“Is it my imagination or is your driving getting worse instead of better?” she asked, bracing herself on the dash as I lurched down the long lane.
Keats gave a little whine from the small rear seat, possibly agreeing. He was also out of sorts about being ousted by Jilly from the passenger seat.
“You may be right,” I said, turning onto the highway. “Nerves, I guess.”
“And focus, or lack thereof. Seems like your mind is a hundred places at once.”
“Make that two hundred. On top of the work for the inn, I’m constantly looking for new clues to Lloyd’s murder. Not to mention worrying about the current family drama.”
She gave me a sideways glance. “Did Daisy tell Asher about what happened?”
Daisy’s dalliance with Lloyd was a delicate topic but I’d confided in Jilly anyway, knowing I could trust her never to spill. She was a professional keeper of secrets, just as I’d been. We offered that outlet to each other.
“About running into Lloyd in the barn, yes. Their old affair is staying a secret, aside from you and Chief Harper.”
“That’s going to be hard. You sisters are… well, like sisters.”
I laughed. “Sounds about right. We’re all as different as the flowers Mom named us after.” I managed to negotiate a couple of long curves and two stoplights without stalling. “I guess we all have secrets. Maybe it’s just a matter of time before they come spilling out.”
“The upside of being an only child,” she said as I turned into the parking lot at Myrtle’s Store, “is that the only secrets are mine and no one cares.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” I turned off the truck and grinned at her. “How about the time you and that mechanic—”
“Nothing I’ve done measures up to you taking a baseball bat to—”
“Let’s leave our secrets in the truck,” I said, hopping out and releasing Keats. “Stick with the plan today, okay? No freestyling.”
“Got it.” She followed me inside and took a seat at the long counter beside the Hodgsons and their crossword puzzle. Before I’d reached the cash register, she was deep in conversation about the weather, a topic of endless interest in Clover Grove.
Myrtle looked up from her laptop with a smile. “Hi hon. Good to see you. Coffee and treat of the day?”
“Coffee, yes, times two. To go, please. I’ll skip the treats.” The plate of blueberry squares actually made my stomach turn, and it wasn’t just from the big breakfast. I couldn’t help thinking about the one in Lloyd’s fridge and wondering if it had been spiked with poison. If so, Mandy was another suspect, but Nadine had plenty of opportunity, too. She could have thanked Lloyd for his dead rat disposal with a nice selection of baked goods.
“How about some oatmeal to go instead? It’s gotten popular lately, thanks to Mandy’s secret flavor packet.” Myrtle grinned at me. “She’s on a mission to promote regularity throughout Wolff County.”
“A worthy cause, but Jilly’s vegan test recipes have me covered.”
“So you’re holding up okay?” she asked, as she poured coffee into two paper cups. “Terrible shame you’ve had to deal with all of this so soon after coming home. I got an email from your mom and she’s beside herself.”
“I bet she is. I’ve been avoiding her calls, to be honest. But I’ll have to see her at Asher’s birthday party when she gets back. Which reminds me… I need to get him a gift. Any idea where I could get my hands on an original Wonder Woman collectible doll? He’s wanted it forever and I feel bad about him being reassigned to highway patrol because of me. Now’s the time to come through with the toys, but I’ve left it pretty late.”
Myrtle gave me her sharp-eyed stare and I returned it with my blandest smile.
“I might know someone,” she said. “Although he apparently hates parting with anything.”
“I’ll make it worth his while. Nothing is too good for Asher.”
She flipped throu
gh a stack of cards near the cash register and handed me one. “Don’t tell him I told you. I don’t want to get on his bad side.”
“Got it,” I said. “While I’m here, could I pick up some rat poison?”
“You can’t use rat poison at the farm, Ivy. Keats could eat a dead one and get sick. You’d be surprised how often that happens.”
I looked down and noticed Keats had draped himself over my feet, looking subdued. Obviously he disapproved of the poison, too.
“It’s for one of my sisters who wishes to remain nameless. Rodents are stigmatized even out here, it seems.”
She smiled again. “Well, I can’t help you anyway. There’s been a rush on it lately and it’s on back order.”
“Okay, no problem.” I looked over and saw Jilly was sitting alone. “Thanks for the coffee. We’ll need it to get through our errands.”
A few minutes later we were lurching down the road again. Once we were out of sight, I pulled over and called Brian Letsky, the name Myrtle had given me. When he heard my plea—specifically the “whatever it costs” part—he agreed to let us drop by immediately.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Jilly said as we turned around and headed in the opposite direction. “You made this guy sound sketchy.”
“Just because he has a stringy ponytail, yelled at Myrtle and creeps around a dead man’s house in the dark?”
“Even one of those is cause for grave suspicion.”
“Remember that I was not only creeping around Lloyd’s house but picking through his belongings. I’m one stringy ponytail away from being sketchy myself.”
“You were doing it for a good cause.”
“Maybe he was, too. Let’s keep an open mind.” I glanced over at her. “I’m counting on you to use your wiles today.”
“What about your wiles? I don’t want to be pimped out anymore. I lost my confidence after what happened with Skint.”
Skint was the horrible man we’d rescued Keats from two months ago. Hearing the name, Keats popped his head up from the backseat and whined. “Don’t worry, buddy,” I said. “He’s out of our lives for good. Jilly’s having flashbacks like I do sometimes.”
