Turkey, Pies and Alibis

by Wendy Meadows

  She thought she caught a slight smile on her father’s face but held her tongue. He gathered his things and followed her back to Sheffield Bed and Breakfast. He had surely seen the early headlines that the murderer was arrested, but was probably still curious about the details.

  Brenda had time to think about her father as she drove home. Several times she glanced in her rearview mirror to make sure he still followed her. She waited for him to park his car and together they went inside the bed and breakfast. Allie looked from Brenda to Tim and back.

  “I’m sure my father’s room is ready.” Brenda kept her fingers crossed behind her back.

  “Sure. I saved it for him. I’m glad you’re back with us, Mr. Sheffield.”

  He nodded in answer and said, “Please, call me Tim, like everyone else.”

  Brenda’s heart jumped. “I hope things are all right with the room. If you need anything, let me know, or if I’m not nearby, any of the staff will be glad to help you.”

  “Everything is fine, Brenda. I’m sure you have things to do.” He spoke quietly, with none of the bitterness of their earlier arguments. Brenda knew there was hope for their relationship yet.

  “I just have to get the pie baked. William’s Thanksgiving feast is going to be something. It will be quite a celebration for all of us, especially after...” She stopped, not wanting to dredge up the painful events of the last few days again.

  Tim seemed like he had more to say, but wasn’t ready. He seemed content to gaze at a painting of the ocean. She excused herself, silently wishing she hadn’t reminded him of their estrangement. She met Phyllis in the back hallway. She reminded Brenda that wedding invitations had to be sent soon.

  “I completed my list. How about you, Brenda?”

  Brenda was glad she hadn’t told her friend that she had briefly canceled her wedding entirely. “I’m just about finished. I’m going to get that pumpkin pie baked and then start writing invitations. By the way, my father is back with us.” Phyllis was overjoyed, but Brenda cautioned her that they had not entirely reconciled yet.

  They heard Allie greet Tim. “There is a phone call for you, Mr. Sheffield. I mean, Tim. Do you want to take it in my office? Or I can transfer it up to your room.”

  “I’ll take it in your office, if you don’t mind. The stairs can be hard on my knees.”

  Brenda was glad Allie offered her office and walked back out to the front desk to thank her for her courtesy. Brenda asked her if she knew who the call was from.

  “It’s Mac. He said he wanted to speak with your father, privately.” She hesitated. “I hope it’s all right that I didn’t ask you first.”

  “Of course, that’s fine with me. I’m headed for the kitchen if anyone is looking for me.”

  Brenda found release whipping up the pie ingredients. She chatted with Chef Morgan and they talked about the two big weddings coming up. Morgan was putting the finishing touches on a few dishes for the Thanksgiving dinner that would be served to the few guests dining at the bed and breakfast that evening. The kitchen smelled richly of herbs and spices, roasted turkey and potatoes, garlicky greens and sweet pumpkin. But of course, Morgan was already planning the wedding feast.

  “I’m planning a fabulous menu for you two. I’ll take your input and Phyllis’s, too,” the chef said, “but I have a few surprises of my own for you.”

  As Brenda popped the pie into the oven, she realized a new life was rising in her bed and breakfast. The wedding would be not just a ceremony celebrating her love for Mac, but a crowning achievement to mark how successful her new life and business were. If she could just make lasting amends with her father, her life would be perfect.

  “As soon as this pie comes out, I’m going to start writing out my invitations. I think Phyllis has gotten ahead of me on that.”

  “You go ahead and do that. I’ll make sure the pie comes out on time,” offered Morgan, who was still preparing for the Sheffield feast.

  Brenda thanked Morgan and went up the back stairs to her apartment. She sat down at her desk with the stack of printed invitations and began addressing envelopes. As she did, she thought of a few more people she wanted to invite from her hometown back in Michigan. She hoped to ask her father to look the list over to see if he could think of anyone she may have missed. She also wanted to make sure she didn’t forget any notable relatives they had always been close to. Maybe that would be the way to bring the two of them a little closer.

  She stood up and stretched. The bright sunlight warmed the November air. She opened a window and took a deep breath. Sitting back down, she wrote her father’s name on an envelope. This invitation would be totally handwritten. She stopped to think about her words and thought again about her mother, who had been a woman of great strength and compassion. Her parents’ marriage had been special. She still saw that specialness in her father, despite the hard times they had gone through. This had to be more than a generic invite. The only way to write what she felt was to recall those happier times with her parents.

  Brenda picked up her pen and wrote from her heart. She tucked the invitation into the embossed envelope and sealed it. She separated it from the stack ready to mail.

  “If he agrees to attend the big dinner tonight I believe his heart will turn toward me again,” she mused aloud. “It has to be that way.”

  She reached for her cell phone when it rang. It was William Pendleton.

  “Brenda, I hoped to catch you. I understand the culprit was apprehended who murdered his own wife. I’ve been wracking my brain trying to remember where I had heard that name Nick Bernard. It finally hit me. When my wife Priscilla was still alive, she told me some of her jewelry had been stolen while she was at the Hyatt in New York. I remember now that this Nick Bernard was called in and questioned but they released him because there was no real evidence to charge him with the crime.” He chuckled. “I have to admit I didn’t take my wife seriously. She was not a happy woman, always complaining about one thing or another, as we all know. I don’t mean to speak ill of the dead. Now I realize she was probably right about the missing jewels. After she filed the police report about it, I guess it went unsolved. In any case, I never heard her speak of it again.”

  Brenda knew Lady Pendleton probably didn’t miss the jewelry, however valuable. She was extremely wealthy and most likely simply filed an insurance claim and went out and bought more.

  “That’s very interesting. Nick Bernard was wanted in New York and in New Jersey even before the murder charge, so he has a long stint behind bars waiting for him. I’m just glad the murder has been solved.”

  “I’ll admit that was really the reason for my call. I want you to know how happy I am that your father is no longer a suspect. I knew your Uncle Randolph for many years and met your father on occasion. They were both upright men and Tim never struck me as someone who could murder anyone. I’m glad Mac and his officers concluded the same.” He chuckled again. “I don’t know why you don’t go join forces down at the police station and keep them all in line.”

  Brenda laughed. “I have no desire to get involved with crime cases on a daily basis. I’m very happy right here at Sheffield House. By the way, how many do you have coming to dinner tonight?”

  “As of last count, we are close to forty. My chef even called in more help. Everyone offered to bring food or drink, too, so I think we’re ready.”

  “You’ll have my pumpkin pie, fresh out of the oven. If you see her before I do, please let Phyllis know that I’ve been writing out my wedding invitations. She is way ahead of me.”

  “I’m not surprised,” he said. “I’ll see you and Mac later this evening. And Tim. I’m glad he’s still around.”

  “I am, too.”

  Brenda picked up her father’s invitation and knew there was no way the estrangement between her and her father could go on. The fact that he agreed to come back to Sheffield Bed and Breakfast spoke volumes to her.

  Her cell rang again. It was Mac.

  “I
talked with your father and gave him the whole story about the apprehending of Nick Bernard. I also apologized for suspecting him. The two of you are alike. He assured me he later realized I had a job to do. To my mind, he might be too forgiving, however. I’m afraid I came down too hard on him.”

  “Did he accept your apology?”

  “He did and I was relieved.”

  “Then the matter is over and done with. We have a celebration tonight. It’s time to let everything go and just enjoy ourselves.”

  “I’ll see you tonight, Brenda.”

  Brenda sighed happily. After the call, she took a deep breath and took the invitation to her father’s room. She knocked on the door and there was no answer.

  “If you are looking for Mr. Sheffield, he is out on the side lawn in the swing. He seems to be enjoying the warm sunshine.” The young housekeeper who had spoken up smiled at Brenda. “He is a very nice man.”

  “Thank you. I’ll go out and see him there.” She realized her father’s demeanor was evolving into something more pleasant than what all had witnessed when he first arrived. She descended the stairs.

  “I think your father is enjoying this warm November day, Brenda. I saw him swinging in the glider on the side lawn.” Allie smiled. “I’m glad he came back.”

  “I’m glad, too. I’ll go out and join him.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Reconciliation and Celebration

  When Brenda stepped off the wide porch of the Queen Anne-style mansion and walked around to the side yard, she spied her father. The glider moved gently back and forth. She could see his profile and noted the lines in his face were relaxed. His gaze focused on the sea. A few leaves persisted on the tree branches above and the last of the autumn sunshine spread its warmth over the beautiful landscape. Once-glorious mums now faded in the receding daylight.

  Tim Sheffield appeared content. Brenda felt a lump in her throat. This was the father she recalled. She walked toward him, cautiously at first, and then picked up her pace.

  “I found you at last. Are you enjoying the breezes from the ocean?”

  His face exhibited a slight smile. “The air is very refreshing here. I can even smell the salt from the ocean.”

  She sat down next to him. “It is a serene place. I think the peace it brings me is what draws me most.”

  Tim Sheffield reached for his daughter’s hand and held it in silence. She fought tears that threatened to overflow from beneath her lowered eyelids. They rocked in sync in the fading twilight. She fingered the invitation in her right pocket, not ready to speak yet.

  Phyllis Lindsey held a dust cloth in her hand as she watched father and daughter in the glider. She whispered a prayer. A second glance gave hope when she glimpsed his weathered hand reach for her smooth one. She turned from the window and smiled.

  A lone squirrel raced down the bark of the oak tree and scurried across the lawn. Acorn after acorn were crammed in its mouth before it scurried back up.

  “Remember how much you liked to watch the wild animals before the big snows arrived?” Brenda nodded. She remembered. “Your mother was sure one day you would tell us you wanted to be a veterinarian and our property would overflow with animals. Do you still like animals?”

  The soft laugh escaped her. “I do. Even if I don’t have as much time to observe them as I did in the past.” The glider slowed a little. “I have something I want very much to give to you, Dad.” She reached for the envelope and handed it to him. “I hope you will come back into my life.”

  Tim turned to his daughter, looking down at her writing on the envelope. He looked up into her eyes. “I have been hard on you and have no excuses, Brenda. Since your mother died, I have been like a fish out of water. I tried going back on the road like I did in the past, but when I came home she wasn’t waiting there with a steaming cup of coffee and a huge hug.” He watched a second squirrel pounce on an acorn. “You look so much like your mother. I started to resent you.” Tears brimmed in his eyes. Tim coughed to cover it. “It was all me, Brenda. You did nothing to make me this bitter. I’ve held it against you that you haven’t married someone rich and powerful, to cover my own foolish and selfish reasons for resenting you for moving far away, for looking like her. You were a reminder of what I’d lost. I’m so sorry, Brenda.”

  The last of the leaves rustled as the wind picked up. The breeze, or was it her feelings, caused her to warm up.

  “I’ve never stopped loving you, Dad. You were always my hero and I recall how Mom and I planned a week ahead for your returns off the road. Those memories will always stay with me. Why don’t you open it?”

  Tim Sheffield slipped his finger under the seal. He didn’t open it. “Maybe I should read this when I’m alone, Brenda.” His voice trembled a little, as if he knew his daughter’s words written inside would make his tears threaten to spill all over again.

  “It’s okay, Dad. I didn’t mean it when I told you to leave. Mom always said we were alike when it came to hardheadedness. I think she was right about the two of us.”

  Tim’s laugh rose from deep down. Together their tears mixed with choking gasps of gleeful sounds. He stood up and pulled her to him. Brenda sank into the deepest hug her father had ever given her.

  “We had better get ready for that big party tonight. You promised a crowd for Thanksgiving dinner, so let’s get moving.”

  “I am so lucky, Dad. I have my family back. I can’t wait for you to meet my new Sweetfern Harbor family. I know you’ll love them.”

  Back inside, they climbed the stairs together. At the top, Tim’s eyes gazed upward to the round stained-glass window. “Randolph had a heck of a time restoring this part of the structure. He was determined to fix up that window like it had been long ago. He knew what he was doing here. I think maybe you do, too.” He turned to look at her and she felt content that he finally understood her love for Sheffield House and her work.

  When Brenda got to her apartment, she energetically jumped into the task of getting ready for the big dinner. She showered and then picked out the best fall outfit she could find from her closet. Mac complimented her once on her burgundy duster that had contrast stitching along the long collar. She chose jeans and a long-sleeved black t-shirt with subtle sparkles stitched into the hem. Renewed life meant boldness. She pulled black over-the-knee boots from the back of her closet and admired herself briefly in the mirror. She felt invincible.

  She joined her father downstairs, and together they waited for Mac Rivers.

  “Mac called me.”

  “I know.”

  “He explained you were the one who exposed the real murderer of that poor woman.”

  “I know.”

  “You have the best of two worlds, Brenda. You always liked delving into mysteries and now you have this wonderful bed and breakfast that you loved so much as a kid when we visited.”

  “I have the best of three worlds, Dad.”

  “I was getting to that,” he chuckled. “You always were a little impatient. I want you to know you have chosen your future husband well. I accept your invitation to the wedding.”

  Brenda grasped her father and together they hugged tighter than ever.

  Mac coughed. “I hope I’m not interrupting too much here, but your taxi is waiting.”

  All three laughed, and then they hurried through the windy night to Mac’s car. Brenda told Tim he should sit in front with Mac. He protested, telling her she should be in front with the man she loved, and she relented. As he drove off, Mac glanced in his rearview mirror and saw the slight curve of his future father-in-law’s mouth. He liked Tim Sheffield.

  At the bottom of the driveway, Brenda gasped. “We have to go back. I forgot the pumpkin pie!” They all laughed.

  Mac grinned and swerved the car back up the driveway to the front door of Sheffield Bed and Breakfast. Brenda hopped out to retrieve the pie, laughing and blushing. She was surprised to see William.

  “I’m here to pick up my favorite lady. I guess it
may be bad manners for me to not be at my front door to greet my guests, but I had to come get her myself.” His eyes twinkled. “Ah, here she is.”

  Brenda had offered earlier to bring Phyllis along with them, but she reminded Brenda how that may offend William, always the gentleman. In her best dress and a warm wool sweater against the cold, Phyllis took William’s hand as he led her to his vintage Mercedes and lovingly opened the door for her.

  Once again, they were off, this time with the still-warm pie wrapped up tight in Brenda’s lap. At the end of the winding road up to the Pendleton mansion, Tim gasped audibly. “This is a magnificent layout.” In the darkness, lighting on the lawn lit up the magnificent landscaping and highlighted the mansion’s architectural details.

  Brenda told him of the sprawling gardens in back and on either side of the home. “Not only does he have expert gardeners, this house overlooks the ocean. Every room has spectacular views of the waters from the back of the house. William told me once that he loves to go upstairs onto the balcony and watch boats and ships pass by.”

  “I think he knows every captain that steers them, too,” Mac said.

  They talked about how much William meant to Sweetfern Harbor. Tim was impressed that William Pendleton was so well-known. He had met the man only once when he visited his brother at the bed and breakfast. At the time, William was subdued and unimpressive at first glance. He briefly told Mac and Brenda of that encounter.

  “His wife wasn’t so easy to live with,” Mac said tactfully. They all knew Lady Pendleton had not been a nice person, to say the least. “I believe he always held back from showing his true talents because of her. After she passed away, he seemed to come out of his shell.”

  One day, Brenda would tell her father about the way Priscilla Pendleton died right in front of her bed and breakfast. But tonight, nothing would mar her reunion with him.

  Cars lined the circular drive when they pulled up. Brenda couldn’t wait to introduce her father to everyone. They saw Hope and David Williams first.