by Vikki Walton
“Well, yes. That was one reason for the move.” She tossed a jet-black braid over her shoulder before taking a sip of her drink as they waited.
“Okay.” Kandi plopped down next to Aly. “What’s the second thing? Don’t keep us waiting.”
“My mother was killed.”
CHAPTER THREE
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Aly.” Kandi turned toward the young woman whose face had reddened as she struggled to hold back tears.
“It happens.” Aly brusquely wiped her eyes. “People you know die all the time.”
“That’s true, but it doesn’t mean it negates your feelings. I’m sure you loved your mother and now miss her.”
“Turns out I didn’t know my mother. She—listen, can we talk about something else?”
“Of course, we can. We don’t mean to intrude.” Anne glanced at Hope, who nodded in agreement. The young woman’s emotions were still raw from some trauma.
Hope jumped in, saving the group from an awkward silence. “How’d the talk go with the garden club?”
“Good. This was a smaller SIG but—”
“A what?” Hope reached over and took another slice of polenta, along with some black beans.
“SIG. It stands for special interest group. The main group focuses on many subjects relating to gardens and then SIG groups focus on specific areas. They have an herb one, one for mushrooms, and let me see—” Anne tapped her chin with her finger.
Kandi continued, “One specific to flowers, one for permaculture, one for food storage, household products. You name it, I’m pretty sure they might have it. If you want to head one up, they’re pretty open to it too. I used to be a member but ever since we started the bed-and-breakfast, that’s kept me fairly busy, or I forget the meetings.”
“What got you interested in gardening, Aly?” Hope speared some of the salad on her fork.
Aly retorted, “Um, didn’t I already say that?”
“Sorry, I must have not heard,” Hope replied.
Aly dropped her napkin on the table and rose from her place. “I really appreciate you asking me here for dinner, Kandi. But if you don’t mind, I’m going to leave. I’m not feeling too well.”
“Of course.” Kandi stood and walked with Aly toward the door. She hugged her and the young woman struggled for composure. Her mother’s death must have occurred recently, and she was still in that bubble of grief. Unfortunately, it often had a detrimental effect on how others were treated.
Aly gave them a half-hearted wave before rushing out the back door.
Kandi shut the door behind her. “She’s really hurting. It’s almost like it’s radiating off her.” She sighed.
Hope nodded. “Yes, she’s in that angry phase. We’ll have to give her some grace. Autumn, you’ve been pretty quiet this evening.”
“Sorry. I think I may have worn myself out today. I may have to leave in a bit as well. She rubbed her belly. “Who knew pregnancy could take so much out of you?”
“Come in tomorrow, and let’s take some blood to check your vitamin levels. You still working with your midwife?” Hope handed her plate to Kandi for stacking.
“Yes, she’s exceptional,” Autumn responded.
Hope continued, “And you sleep in. Take your time coming in, and I’ll get someone else to cover that shift if needed.”
Autumn held onto the table and back of the chair as she lifted herself to a standing position. “I hate leaving you in the lurch like that. After a good night’s sleep, I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“How about this? If you feel up to hanging out at the store for a while, we’ll determine if you think you can handle working part of the day then. Sound good?” Hope stood.
Autumn nodded. “Can I help clean up?”
“Absolutely not.” Kandi hugged her. “You get on home and put your feet up. I insist.”
“I could get used to this pampering.” Autumn laughed.
“Enjoy it now. You’re going to have your hands full once this little one arrives.” Anne gave her a hug before picking up the used silverware from the table.
After Autumn left, Hope and Anne packed up leftovers and helped Kandi put the kitchen back in order.
“Coffee? Dessert?” Kandi queried.
“I think I’ll skip the coffee, but what’s for dessert?”
“Chocolate mousse with raspberries. It’s made with avocado.”
“I don’t know—” Anne made a face as Kandi pulled cups of dark chocolate from the fridge. “Oh, that looks good.”
“Tastes good too. You know you want to try it.” She held it up in front of Anne with a canister of freshly whipped cream in the other hand.
“Okay, you twisted my arm. I’m game.” Anne took the offered cup, now laden with raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream. Hope took one too, and they sat back down at the table.
“So, did you figure out who it was having the argument over in the town park?” Kandi scooped the chocolate onto her spoon. “Ummmmm. This is so yummy.”
“What are you talking about?” Hope interjected.
“After I left your shop today, I heard a woman and man arguing. I couldn’t quite make out their voices, but the woman basically threatened him.” Anne scooped up the pudding and popped it into her mouth. “Oh, wow. This is wonderful.”
“Right?” Kandi grinned. “I’m thinking of, like, adding it to the bed-and-breakfast offerings for our vegan guests.”
“Everyone will like this. It’s fantastic.” Anne plunged her spoon back into the gooey goodness.
“Back to the subject. So, there were people arguing?”
Anne nodded. “Not sure who, but I did see Jennifer cross the street before I came across Kim. So, it may have been one of them.” Anne shrugged. “I guess it was because the threat was so clear…basically ‘or else’ is what stood out to me, it’s stuck in my mind. Or else what?”
Kandi squirted a bit more whipped cream on her pudding. “Well, if it was Jennifer, it might have been Brian. He doesn’t say much, and she runs roughshod over him.”
Anne considered that. “I guess. Seems weird they would meet and have a heated argument in a fairly public place. And wouldn’t he follow her?”
Hope burst out laughing. “You two! You’ve always got a mystery to solve. It was two people arguing. That’s it. Case closed. Who cares who it was?” She raised her hands in the air. “News alert—people, especially couples, argue. And sometimes they say things they don’t mean.” She lowered her hands.
Anne glanced forlornly at the empty pudding cup. “You’re right. I tend to believe everything has more meaning than it does. Take that Aly for instance.”
“What about her?” Kandi licked her spoon. “She’s nice.”
Anne’s brow furrowed. “I’m sure she is, but I feel she’s hiding something. What’s with the raven black hair? It’s not natural, that’s for sure. I mean, the goth period is pretty over with, isn’t it?”
“People, like, do what they like.” Kandi popped her remaining raspberry in her mouth as Anne crossed her arms and sat back in her seat.
“What do you think, Hope?”
“She has something causing emotional issues for her. Maybe it’s due to the fact she’s lost her mother tragically, and now she’s in a new place and has no one to help her through it. If she’s hurting, she may be lashing out to keep others away from her. It’s a subconscious defense mode to protect from being hurt again. She probably doesn’t even realize the things that she’s saying are so abrupt or rude.”
“That’s a good point. She moved away from everything and everyone she knew. It may not have been the best choice for her.”
“We don’t know what happened either. She said her mother was killed. Totally different statement than her mother passed after an illness or something like that. Also, we don’t know how her mother was killed. Did she die because she was murdered or did something else occur?”
“Like what?” Kandi motioned.
Hope set her spoon d
own on the table. “An accident. People use various words for what happens in their lives. All I know is she really needs a friend. Kandi, she’s close to your age, so I hope you’ll reach out to her and be that shoulder she may need right now.”
“Definitely.” Kandi’s head bobbed, and her multi-colored feather and metal earrings tinkled with her movements.
“Good. If you will excuse me, I need to head home as I may be doing some juggling of the work schedule tomorrow.” Hope rose and took her pudding cup and spoon over to the kitchen sink, where she rinsed them off and stuck the cup in the top shelf of the dishwasher. “Night.”
Hope, Kandi, and Anne all hugged on the front porch before Hope settled in her vehicle. Anne waved goodbye to the pair before she made her way across the cul-de-sac. She strolled past the Brandywine Inn; its exterior lit up with soft ambient lighting so as to be seen but not upset the neighbors. She crossed in front of the inn and down the gravel driveway toward the back of her house.
Anne entered through the back door. The thump of four paws hitting the floor met her ears. She flicked on the kitchen light as the black cat wove in and around her legs. “Did you miss me, Mouser?” Anne reached down and scooped him up just as he let out a loud meow. “Ah, well, thanks. I missed you too.”
She stroked his back and set him back down on the floor as a text chirped on her phone. It was Spencer.
I’m leaving now. On my way home. Be there soon.
Okay. Thanks for letting me know.
She dropped the phone on the counter and prepared coffee for the morning. The wonderful aroma of freshly ground beans filled the kitchen. After inhaling the scent, Anne poured them into the hopper before ensuring the water container was full and the timer on. Pulling out two mugs from the cupboard, she stopped and held them up. She had gotten so used to having coffee in the morning with Carson that it had become a habit for her to pull their mugs out. She set them on the counter and glanced at the clock. Probably too late for a call, so she whipped out her phone and fired off a text.
Hope you’re having fun. Bring home some trout.
No response.
She placed the phone on the counter and set out the two trays with their timers. One she filled with a few treats, so Mouser would be happy at his four o’clock rising. The next one was for six-thirty. Anne tended to rise early, but it was nice to sleep in without having a cat bop you in the face to fix his breakfast.
Anne glanced at her phone. Still no response. Oh well. She pulled out a chair and sat down at the kitchen table. Even though Spencer was certainly capable of locking up, she enjoyed knowing he was safely at home with her before going to bed.
She reviewed her notes of Billie’s yard and then mapped out a rough sketch of the reworked design for her food forest. Mature trees and bushes were recommended in case—a knot formed in her chest. She’d do everything possible to ensure the garden was beautiful and bearing fruit for Billie to enjoy. None of us know how much time we have, so she commended Billie for being optimistic and planning such a large project.
Anne turned at the sound of Spencer’s feet bounding up the steps and the kitchen door opening.
“Hi-ya.”
“Hi-ya yourself. Have fun?”
“Yep. Fun game. Anything to eat?”
Anne laughed, “I thought you ate pizza.”
“We did. But I’m still hungry.” He opened the fridge and rummaged around to find some sliced sandwich meat and cheese.
“You have a hollow leg,” Anne quipped. “Plus, how can you eat so much and yet stay so thin? It’s not fair, I tell you that!”
“I’m a growing boy.” He speared the food into his mouth while grabbing a bag of chips from the pantry. “Okay to take this to my room?”
She nodded. “Fine. Bring down all the bowls and glasses you’ve got up there. I’m pretty sure half of our dishes and cutlery are up in your room.”
“Will do.”
“Hug?”
She’d been careful to wait for him to start contact once the foster acceptance report had gone through. It was easier for Carson, who could roughhouse with the teenager. Now he’d often come up and hug her from behind. He did so now, and she patted his hands.
“Night. Sweet dreams.”
“You too,” he mumbled.
A text chimed on her phone.
Trying. Fish are sneaky. Call you tomorrow. Stay out of trouble.
She laughed and texted him back.
Don’t I always? Love you.
She clicked off the light in the kitchen and headed upstairs. She’d made it into her bedroom when his reply came through.
Never. Better behave while I’m gone. Love you too.
Love you for.
For free coffee in the mornings.
The text was accompanied by a line of coffee emojis. They’d started a game where the other person had to give an answer if they used the phrase love you for. The cornier the better. Yet, sometimes they’d been more serious. Those were harder to answer for Anne.
Anne texted back, ‘sweet dreams,’ and he replied in kind. After plugging her phone into the charger, she headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and get ready for bed. She pulled her wavy auburn hair into a clip and washed her face with cleanser before splashing cold water on it. After applying a vitamin C serum around her eyes, she gazed at herself in the mirror. She wasn’t sure if it was helping or not as she spied more crinkled lines along the sides of her eyes, and the laugh lines framing her mouth had grown deeper. Even with a strong application of sunscreen, her peaches and cream skin bore the signs of being outdoors.
Anne made a mental note to get a facial soon and take better care of her skin. As she applied some moisturizing cream to her face, hands, and elbows, her thoughts drifted back to her texts with Carson. It wasn’t her fault mysteries often seemed to occur in her vicinity or that people came to her for help. It had caused some difficult discussions and unresolved conflict between them, but things were getting better. If either of them were to come to harm, being the county’s sheriff was much riskier. Later, as she moved to her bed and threw off back the coverlet, she chuckled at his words. She snapped off her light and lay back on the pillow. Another flash of words in her mind.
Or else.
You better do what or else?
Hopefully, they were only spoken in the heat of anger and meant nothing. As Anne drifted to sleep, she struggled to equate the voice with a person. Harsh words spoken in anger.
Or else what?
CHAPTER FOUR
The next morning, Anne had just poured her coffee when the phone rang. Her heart swelled at hearing Carson’s voice.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
“Good morning to you, too. How’s it going?” She pushed open the door to the back deck and took a seat in the chair bathed in the morning sunlight, its warmth caressing her. She put the phone on speaker and cradled the mug of hot coffee between her hands.
“We’ve already caught our limit so heading back down to camp for breakfast. We’ll probably do some hiking after that.”
“Wow. What time did you all get up?”
“Four.”
Anne groaned. “Doesn’t sound like my idea of a good time.” She yawned. “See, I’m only having my first cup of coffee, and it’s close to eight.”
“What sounds like a good time, and I’ll try to make it happen?”
She laughed. “Are you flirting with me, Sheriff?”
“Absolutely. Is it working?” Other men’s voices chimed in with Carson’s. “Hey, guys, I’m on the phone.” Chiding from the others sounded into the phone along with the crunching of his footsteps walking away from the group. “So, I asked if it’s working?”
“Possibly.” She stretched. “I can’t stay on too long. I’m going over to plot out a new garden project.”
“Who with?”
“Billie Whitman. Do you know her or her husband, Ben?”
“I knew Ben. We attended high school together. Played on the s
ame baseball team. I think at the time he was being scouted by ball teams; he was that good. Got offered scholarships at colleges too. We hung out for a bit, but our paths diverged over time, and he started hanging out with another guy more and his girlfriend. Can’t recall their names right now. Billie’s sick or something?”
“Yes. Cancer. Very sad. She’s a fragment of herself; very thin and frail. But she’s got a hopeful spirit. I want to help her make this garden a reality.”
“That’s wonderful. Another reason I love you,” he replied. “Hold on a sec.” He yelled something to another person. “Sorry, now where were we?”
“Nothing important. Just talking about the Whitmans’.” She sipped her coffee. “I should let you go. I need to get ready, anyway.” She stopped for a moment before announcing, “I miss you.”
“I miss you, too, but it’s just a few days more.”
She brushed her hair off her face.
“No, I realized that I have become used to us having coffee together in the morning. Silly, really.”
“It’s not silly. If we were married, you wouldn’t have to wait for me to show up in the morning for our coffee time.” Carson lived in a small trailer on his property where he was overseeing the building of a new house, which would be another conversation they needed to have on where they’d live after marriage. “When are you going to set a date for us to get married? You realize I’m not a young man.”
“I’m trying. I…I can’t help it. I failed at marriage once. I don’t want to make that mistake again.”
“You didn’t fail. You married an ambitious man who thought nothing of tossing you aside when it suited him. I’ll never do that.”
Anne picked the cup up from the table next to the chair and walked into the kitchen where she rinsed her cup before setting it in the sink.
“Hello? You still there?” he called.
“Yes. Sorry. My head keeps over-riding my heart. Please bear with me.”
He sighed. “Fine. But let’s get this settled when I get back. Now, in the meantime, nothing happening, right?”
“If you mean am I getting involved in something I shouldn’t…absolutely not.”
