by Lyndsey Cole
“From what I’ve heard, Henry the third and his father squandered whatever fortune old man Harper left to them. Just be careful. That’s all I’m saying, Camilla. You can be too trusting and, in my opinion, Henry the third is not someone who deserves your trust.”
Camilla crossed her legs, forgetting the bowl of food was in her lap. The curried chicken salad went crashing to the floor in a big heap. “Oh, darn. Look what I’ve done, and it was the most delicious chicken salad I’ve ever had.” She crouched on her knees and scooped it back into the bowl. “Your floor is clean, right?”
Annie laughed. “Clean enough for me. I won’t tell if you don’t.” She stood up and walked into the gallery, leaving Camilla in peace and quiet to finish her late lunch, hopefully without any more mishaps.
Annie chuckled to herself about how her opinion of Camilla had evolved over the past several months. When Annie first hired Camilla, she thought of her as self-confident and self-absorbed, but it didn’t take too long before Annie realized that Camilla was a scared but talented artist with low self-esteem and in some kind of trouble. Annie identified with that and they became friends, with Annie taking on more of an older sister type role.
Martha was pacing in the main room of the gallery looking at her phone. “Come on Abby, answer,” she muttered, thinking some extra encouragement might be what the phone needed to make it ring.
“Is everything all right?” Annie asked.
“I hope so. I’m checking to make sure Abby is still planning to come to the café for her shower. I told her she should stay at home and relax but she insisted everything was fine. My other granddaughter, Amber, was supposed to pick her up and they should have been here by now.”
Annie put her hand on Martha’s shoulder. “Relax. Worrying won’t help you and it won’t change anything. Let’s head to the café and see if Leona needs any last minute help.”
Martha suddenly leaned against Annie and burst into tears. “Abby told me something that’s been bothering me all day.”
With both hands on Martha’s shoulders, Annie searched Martha’s face. “What happened?”
“Well, Abby was thrilled about the news but it sent shivers up my spine when she told me.”
“Told you what, Martha?” Annie tried to be patient but Martha’s distress was contagious.
Martha’s phone rang, interrupting the conversation. “Abby? Are you on your way?” Martha nodded to whatever it was that Abby was saying on the other end of the phone call. Annie’s mind reeled with questions as to what could be going on. Was it something about the baby? Martha said goodbye and sighed. “She’s on her way.”
“That’s good, but what were you going to tell me before she called?”
Martha’s eyes filled with fear. “Cody is the beneficiary of Claire’s life insurance policy.” She blinked tears away and whispered. “Do you think Cody would have murdered his mother for the money?”
Annie’s heart skipped a beat. “Cody? Claire doted on her son,” Annie responded. “Of course she would name him as the beneficiary.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You’re missing the point. It’s not what Claire thought about Cody. It’s what Cody thought about his mother that has me concerned.”
Annie didn’t want Martha to worry about her granddaughter’s future. Especially not now, when Abby was excited and nervous about having a baby. “Don’t read too much into it, Martha. I’m sure Cody has a perfectly good alibi.”
Martha hung her head. “That’s the thing. I asked Abby, in a roundabout way, what Cody was doing the afternoon Claire was murdered. Her immediate response was casual and carefree, saying he had some decisions to make at their new apartment in the Harper House. But as soon as she realized that’s when Claire was found dead, she changed her story and said that he had gone to the apartment in the morning and he was with her all afternoon.”
“It could be she remembered wrong. She is preoccupied with becoming a new mom. I’m sure that’s consuming her thoughts.” Annie held Martha’s elbow and tried to get her moving toward the café.
“And then the scare about being in labor.” Martha turned to Annie. “Could stress and worry bring that on?”
Annie stopped Martha before they got to the door of the Black Cat Café. She made Martha look at her. “Martha. Listen to me. Stop thinking along these lines. You’re hosting a baby shower for your granddaughter, and somehow you have to put on a cheerful face. For her. It’s all about Abby for the next couple of hours. If she senses you’re distracted by something, it will only hurt her. We’ll get to the bottom of this. But not right now.”
Martha sucked in a big breath of air, puckered her lips, smoothed her already crease-free purple gauzy blouse with one hand, and squeezed Annie’s hand with the other. “How do I look?”
“Perfect.”
“Thank you,” she whispered before marching into the café with her head held high.
Annie smiled at Martha but felt the weight of her worries about Cody land squarely on her own shoulders.
Chapter 13
Leona and Mia had the café transformed into a baby wonderland. All the decorations from the day before, plus more, were hanging from every possible nook and cranny, making the café into a yellow, cheerful space. The aroma of freshly baked rolls hit Annie’s nose and made her mouth water. Her stomach rumbled to remind her that nothing had been sent down in far too long.
Martha hurried to the gift table, placing her handmade tote filled with wrapped presents in the middle of the table. Standing back, she smiled. Mia and Leona hustled around the café adding all the finishing touches to make it special for Abby.
Annie stuffed a warm roll with cheese and humus, barely tasting it as she shoved it in her mouth. “Hmmm. Delicious Leona.”
“Ha. You inhaled that so fast, I didn’t even see you chew. Slow down and savor the flavors.” Leona finished filling the cupcake tier with alternating pink and blue frosted cupcakes. Her rolls and sandwich fillings covered one side of the table and bite size finger food covered the other side. The raspberry torte on a glass pedestal, along with the cupcakes, sat in the center of everything.
“Did I forget anything?” she asked with a panicked edge to her voice.
Martha snuck a mini mushroom quiche into her mouth. “Looks perfect to me. Now all we need is the guest of honor.”
“Here she is, Grandma,” Amber said to Martha as she ushered Abby into the café.
Martha rushed to her granddaughter’s side. “I’ve got a comfy chair right over here just for you, honey.”
Amber, always the reporter, clicked photos of the gifts, the food and the decorations. “Leona, do you mind if I do a special interest article about the Black Cat Café hosting private events?”
“What a great idea. I’m doing this for Martha, but maybe with some exposure the idea would take off and I could generate a little extra money.” Leona posed next to the food with the beautiful desserts in the center of the photo.
Annie brought a glass of ice water to Abby after Martha got her settled and comfortable, hiding her shock when she first saw Abby come in. Abby’s face was puffy with dark circles under both eyes. Lack of sleep? Or worry about what Cody was up to the day his mother was murdered?
More guests arrived, stacking presents on the table and admiring the food. Martha hovered over Abby signaling Annie to bring a plate of food. While Abby pretended to nibble on a pickle wrapped in cream cheese and salami, Martha whispered to Annie, “I’m worried about Abby.” Fortunately, a couple of Abby’s friends started talking to her so Martha pulled Annie away. “I don’t think she should be here. What should we do?”
Violet Sheldrake walked in with a small wrapped box. She brought it directly to Abby and set it in her lap. “I can’t stay, but I want to tell you how sorry I am about your mother-in-law. Several days ago, Claire made me promise to bring this gift for you. How is Cody holding up?”
Martha steered Violet away before Abby had a chance to reply. “This isn’t the time, V
iolet. We’re trying to cheer Abby up tonight. What’s wrong with you?”
“Well, the poor girl lost her mother-in-law and I’m trying to be sympathetic. Cody and I are co-owners of the Harper House now.” Violet shielded her mouth. “It’s a bottomless pit of problems. I don’t know how Cody will be able to finance the rest of the renovations.”
Amber snapped a picture of Violet and took her notepad out. “Mind if I quote you on that for my article in the Catfish Cove Chronicle? I think everyone in town is dying of curiosity about what’s going to happen next. As a co-owner, care to give me a statement?”
Violet’s chin dropped to the top of her pink silk blouse. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do mind. And if you print that photo, I’ll sue the Catfish Cove Chronicle.” She flicked her head back and stomped from the café.
Amber brushed her hands together. “Looks like I got rid of the garbage.”
After a few seconds of silence, Annie and Martha burst out laughing at Amber’s comment. “Amber, you’re one cheeky sister. Glad you have Abby’s back.”
Abby’s friend tapped Martha on the arm. “Something’s wrong with Abby.”
Martha turned, almost tripping in her haste to rush to Abby’s side. Violet’s gift was open. White tissue paper floated around Abby’s lap and chair, matching the lack of color in her face.
“What’s wrong?” Annie asked, reaching Abby’s side first. She tried to keep the worry from her voice.
Abby’s eyes looked into Annie’s with a confused stare. Something poking from Abby’s hand reflected the light. Gently, Annie turned Abby’s hand over. Her fingers uncurled to reveal a silver baby rattle. “This is beautiful,” Annie said as she shook the rattle. “It looks old. Is this what Violet gave you?”
“Yes,” Abby barely managed to utter.
Martha grabbed the rattle from Annie. “Where did this come from?” she demanded to know.
Abby found her voice. “This was Cody’s rattle when he was a baby. His grandmother, Claire’s mother, bought it for him. He’s been wondering what happened to it.” She stared at her grandmother. “Why did Violet have it?”
Martha patted her shoulder. “I’m sure there’s a logical explanation.” Her elbow bumped Annie’s arm and Martha’s eyes darted a quick questioning look her way.
Amber crouched near her sister. “Do you want me to take you home?” she quietly asked. “Everyone will understand.”
Abby nodded. “Yes, please. I can’t do this now.”
Martha and Amber comforted Abby while Annie and Mia circulated around the room, telling the guests to enjoy the food but Abby wasn’t feeling well and was going home. Leona put together several containers of food for Abby to take with her. One box held the raspberry torte and several pink and blue cupcakes. Leona tied the box with a ribbon to make it look a bit more special.
As quickly as possible, Amber held Abby’s arm and led her toward the door. The guests slowed the exit with words of sympathy and encouragement. After all, most of the women in the room, except for a few of Abby’s younger friends, had been through a pregnancy or two. They tried their best to wrap positive energy around Abby without actually understanding that her problem was deeper than her pregnancy. Annie sensed the worry was connected to Cody, and now the origin of the silver baby rattle.
Conversation picked up as the women sampled Leona’s delicacies. Leona, Mia and Annie packed all the gifts and silently made several trips to Martha’s car so she could head to Abby’s house. Without being rude, they offered the remaining guests small containers to fill with food in the hopes they would leave sooner rather than later.
Finally, the café was empty except for Annie, Leona and Mia. The three women sank onto stools at the counter. Annie asked what she had been thinking all along. “Why did Violet have Cody’s rattle?”
“Isn’t that the million dollar question?” Leona asked. “Let’s find Violet and hear her explanation.” She picked up a box with a half dozen cupcakes. “Something to distract her.”
The drive to Violet’s house didn’t take long since she lived in town behind her real estate office. The yellow mustang slowed to a crawl in front of the Catfish Real Estate Agency. The entire building was pitch black, the front offices and the residence in the back, so Leona gunned the accelerator. “Let’s have a look at the Harper House. If Violet isn’t there, maybe we’ll find something else of interest.”
The voice in Annie’s head was telling her this was a bad idea. A very bad idea. But she ignored that voice and said, “Faster Leona. Violet’s got some explaining to do.”
Chapter 14
Annie closed her eyes as her head rested on the back of the seat and she let the thoughts swirl around. Who had motive to kill Claire? Who was in the house when Claire was murdered?
Henry Harper the third certainly had a grudge, and with all the rumors about hidden treasure, Claire may have stumbled on something and he had to kill her to get what he felt was his. Abby was covering for Cody’s whereabouts and his relationship with his mother was difficult. What would he gain, though? A building that needed a lot of money to finish the restoration. Money he didn’t have. That seemed more of a burden than something worth killing for. But there was a life insurance policy in his name.
Larry Sheldrake lied to Annie about where he was at the time of Claire’s murder and he might have killed her with the thought of hidden treasure in the back of his mind. And now Violet turned up at Abby’s shower with a baby rattle that should have been in Claire’s possession. In addition, Claire owed her money for the purchase of the Harper House.
“You’re awfully quiet back there, Annie, but I can see the wheels spinning around in your head. Spit it out,” Leona said as she watched Annie in the rearview mirror.
Their eyes met and Annie could see herself in her biological mother’s reflection. She had always been close to Leona even before she discovered the truth. “I’m thinking about who had a motive and an opportunity to murder Claire.”
“That’s obvious. What have you come up with?”
“Henry the third, Cody, Larry and Violet.”
“And?”
“And nothing. Unless Detective Crank comes up with something, my money is still on Henry Harper the third. I don’t think I told you two, but he’s been flirting with Camilla and he showed her a box of old jewelry and some gold coins. I think he’s after her diamond necklace to add to his collection.”
Mia turned around. “That poor girl. She’s a magnet for sleaze balls with an angle to take advantage of her.”
“I warned her about Henry so at least her eyes are wide open. She wants to lead him on with the hope of getting information from him.”
“She better stay in public places to keep herself safe.”
The mustang stopped next to a pink Cadillac. Darkness and silence dropped around them like a cloak when Leona shut her car off.
“I think we found Violet,” Leona said. “What do we do now?”
Lights were on in the back of the house, in the apartment where Cody and Abby were supposed to live. Annie opened the back door and slid out. “We go inside and find out why Violet had that rattle. At least I want to let her know how upset it made Abby,” she said with more confidence than she felt on the inside.
Walking in single file, they trudged to the back door, the door with light spilling out, instead of the front door that led into the grimy, dark, unfinished main entryway. Raised voices drifted through the closed window, getting louder with each step they took. Annie felt a hand on her back. She swiveled her head with her finger to her lips, making a shh noise.
The back door was half glass. Looking in, they could see Violet’s back but whoever she was talking to was shielded by her body. Her arm was moving back and forth with her finger pointing at someone.
“Should we go in?” Annie whispered to Mia and Leona who were leaning over Annie’s shoulder to view the scene inside.
Leona knocked on the door. “I’ll take that as a yes,” Annie said to Mia
.
Violet’s head flew around, causing her to grab the table for balance. “Who’s there?” She squinted to help her see into the black void outside the window.
Leona took a step backward. “Maybe we should run. Are we walking into some kind of trap?”
“Geez Leona, you should have thought of that before you knocked on the door.” Annie reached for the knob as the door was pulled open from the inside.
“Oh, it’s you,” Violet said with relief in her voice. “This place makes me a little jumpy after what happened to Claire. Well, let’s not think about that. Come in.”
Larry stood up as the women walked in and Violet offered them chairs around the table. “I was just leaving.” He slipped into his jacket, looking relieved to escape from his mother’s lecture.
“We aren’t done yet, Larry.” Violet’s stern voice bounced off the walls.
“I’m done. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” The door latched behind him; the silence felt awkward.
Leona set her box of goodies on the table. “You had to leave the baby shower so quickly, we wanted to share some of the leftovers with you.”
“Oh.” Violet peeked inside the box. “Can I have one?”
“Sure.” They all pulled out chairs and got comfortable.
Her hand hovered before she swooped down and grabbed a pink frosted cupcake. “Pink is my favorite color.” Her tongue made a trail through the cream cheese frosting. After licking her lips, Violet asked, “What did Abby think of my gift?”
Annie tried to distract Leona from saying anything, but Leona ignored her and got right to the point of the visit. “It upset her and she had to go home. Where did you get that rattle?”
Violet’s hand paused midair. “Upset? Oh dear. Claire thought it would be such a nice surprise.” She looked at each pair of eyes staring at her. “It was Cody’s baby rattle. Did Abby know that?”
Annie patted Violet’s arm. “Yes, she knew immediately. Why did you have it?”
