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Death by Espresso

Page 4

by Alex Erickson


  She nodded. “Thank you, Krissy. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “Your life would probably be a lot less hectic.” I smiled and released her. “Go back there and put your foot down, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Vicki took a moment to catch her breath and then led the way back downstairs. She headed straight for her parents, who were shaking their heads at Mason, while I started for the counter. Before I made it all the way back, however, another disaster walked through the door.

  Well, the couple coming through the door wasn’t the disaster. It was what followed that qualified.

  “James Hancock, how could you?”

  Both Dad and Laura came up short at Rita’s wail. She was up and out of her seat almost immediately, and crossed the short distance between them in seconds. She latched on to Dad’s arm, nearly dragging him over as she dropped to her knees.

  “I trusted you! And look what you’ve done to me.”

  “I . . . I . . .” Dad looked my way, silently pleading for help.

  I considered letting him deal with it on his own. I’d just dealt with one tense situation, and really didn’t feel like dealing with another. Besides, in a way, he’d brought it on himself by not warning Rita about Laura ahead of time. He knew just as well as I did how she could get.

  “You can’t do this to me!” Rita said, tugging on his arm so hard he actually did stagger this time. Laura was forced to grab his wrist to keep him from toppling over.

  “Rita,” I said, hurrying over. She looked at me as if I, too, had betrayed her. “Let him go.”

  She dropped his arm and took a step back. “I’m sorry, I . . .” Her hand went to her chest before she straightened. “I’m okay.”

  Worry had me putting a gentle hand on her arm. “Are you sure?” I asked. “If something’s going on . . . ?”

  She forced a smile. “It’s okay, dear. I’m fine.” She glanced at Dad and Laura. “I’ll be on my way.”

  “Rita,” Dad said, but she didn’t give him a chance to speak. She walked out the door and down the street without looking back.

  “What was that all about?” Laura asked.

  “She gets emotional,” I said, though it felt like there was more to it than that. I knew Rita was infatuated with Dad, but this went beyond that.

  “I hope I can make it up to her,” Dad said. “I don’t want her to be upset.”

  “I’ll talk to her,” I said. The only challenge would be finding time to do so. Looking back, it appeared Vicki and Mason were handling their parents, and now that Dad and Laura were here . . .

  I turned to them, putting Rita out of mind. “So, you two, what can I get you?”

  4

  The house smelled of buttery popcorn, yet I hardly noticed it. A near full bowl sat in my lap, untouched. The television was on; a movie I wasn’t even watching flickered across the screen. Normally, I would have chowed down on the popcorn and gone back for seconds within fifteen minutes, yet my mind was about as far from what was happening around me as it could get.

  I might have helped Vicki feel a little better about her parents’ involvement in the upcoming wedding, but I wasn’t feeling the same way. I knew her mom, knew how she could get. It’s one thing to say you’re going to stand up to her. It’s another thing entirely to actually do it.

  Well, you can stand up all you want; it’s whether she even deigns to see you that’s the problem.

  I’d already made a few calls around town to make sure nothing had been canceled. The cake was still on, as were the flowers. If Gina planned on replacing them with something Cathy Carr decided on, she had yet to inform anyone else of that fact.

  Maybe she’s all talk this time.

  And maybe I’ll live an uneventful life.

  The TV snapped off mid-explosion, drawing me out of my ruminations. Dad and Laura were sitting on the couch, close to one another but not touching. It was as if Dad was afraid I’d freak out about displays of affection. I had half a mind to tell him to keep the bedroom door open when they retired for the night, just to see him blush.

  “You okay, Buttercup?” he asked. He started to stretch his arm across the back of the couch, but that would have put it behind Laura’s head. He quickly pulled it back down and let his hands fall into his lap. “You seem distracted.”

  I looked down at my now-cold popcorn and set the bowl aside. “I’m just worried about the wedding.”

  “Totally understandable.”

  “It’s just, Gina and Frederick are making it harder on Vicki than what she deserves. Can’t they just be happy for her for once?”

  “They are,” Dad said. “They see the world differently than we do. Gina thinks she’s helping. And I see nothing wrong with wanting your daughter to have the best of everything.” He gave me a meaningful look.

  “I guess.” My eyes drifted to where Misfit was curled up in Laura’s lap. He’d really taken to her. Ever since she’d arrived, he’d followed her everywhere. I could hear his contented purr even from across the room. “I just wish they’d help a little more . . . helpfully.”

  Dad chuckled. “It’ll work out, Buttercup. These things always do.”

  I wished I could believe him, but I was truly worried. Not only were Gina and Frederick on board with Cathy taking over the wedding, but so were Raymond Lawyer and Regina Harper. Both, like the Pattersons, tended to control their children’s lives. I wasn’t sure I’d ever heard Raymond say a kind word to or about Mason. And Regina’s daughter, Heidi, was struggling to get out from beneath her mother’s thumb; had been since I’d met her years ago when her husband was murdered.

  With all those strong personalities pushing, it was only a matter of time before Vicki caved.

  I rose from my seat, brushing stray popcorn pieces from my shirt as I did. “I think I need to get some fresh air,” I said.

  Dad rose with me. “Do you need company?” he asked.

  “I can always clean up a bit while you’re gone, so don’t worry about me,” Laura said. She shifted slightly, causing Misfit to bring out the claws to hold on. I couldn’t help but smile. She wasn’t going anywhere until his nap was over, not unless she wanted ten little puncture marks on her leg.

  “No, you two stay here and watch another movie. There’s more popcorn and I can put on some coffee if you want.” I picked up my purse and fished out my keys.

  “We’re okay.” Dad stepped forward and gave me a reassuring hug. “Stay safe.” He kissed my temple.

  “I will.”

  I left them to the movie, and headed outside to my car. Even before I was buckled in, I had my phone out and was dialing.

  “Krissy?”

  “Hi, Will.” I sagged in relief when he answered. Will Foster and I had been dating for a while now, yet it felt like I never saw him anymore. Since he was a doctor, his hours were often unpredictable and long. And now, with me being busy with the wedding, we’d barely spoken, let alone seen each other. It was well past time we got together, lest I explode.

  “Is everything okay?” he asked. “You sound stressed.”

  “I guess.” I quickly related everything that had happened as I got the car started and backed out onto the road. “Vicki is beside herself, and I’m not much better.”

  “They sound like a couple of characters.” He was referring to the Pattersons, obviously.

  “You don’t know the half of it.”

  A moment of silence before: “Jade and Gemma say hi.” Jade was Will’s sister, and Gemma her unfathomably cute daughter.

  “Tell them hi right back.”

  “Will do.”

  More silence.

  I was hoping he’d offer to come over to my place, or better yet, invite me over to his house, where we could be alone. I desperately needed contact, even if all we did was sit on his patio with my head on his shoulder as we stared at the stars.

  But no offers were forthcoming. Instead, he yawned.

  “I should probably go,” I said. “You
sound tired.”

  “I am. It’s been a really long day. I’ll have to tell you about it sometime.”

  “Soon?”

  “Very.”

  “Good.”

  Another brief silence, before, “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Krissy. Good night.”

  “Good night, Will.”

  He disconnected.

  I sighed and tossed my phone onto the seat next to me. I’d called Will to make me feel better, yet now I felt worse. I don’t think he was intentionally avoiding me, but darn it, it was sure feeling like it.

  Putting Will out of my mind, I realized I hadn’t been driving mindlessly this entire time like I’d thought. Instead, I found myself on a familiar road, heading to a familiar destination. If there was one thing that could make me feel better after my brief chat with my boyfriend, it would be to set Vicki’s wedding to rights.

  I pulled into the driveway and parked, determined that, tonight, I’d be the hero. No more hoping things worked out. No more waiting for something good to happen. I was the one who was going to make the difference.

  Vicki’s house was an old Victorian, which suited her name, I supposed. It was large and clean, and put my little place to shame. While her parents might not have approved of her running off to live her life in Pine Hills, they weren’t going to let her leave California without providing for her in some way, hence the house. It might seem like they argued with their daughter all the time, but they truly did love her. They just needed to show it better sometimes.

  Lights were on inside, both upstairs and downstairs, but only one car, a silver Prius, sat in the driveway. I shut off the engine and got out of the car. The house sat on a semi-private acre of land, surrounded by pine trees, planted in a way that formed a natural fence against prying eyes. I could see the lights of neighboring houses through the branches of the trees, but heard or saw no one else.

  Maybe if Vicki moved in with Mason once they were married, she’d be willing to sell me her house at a discount. I couldn’t even hear any cars on the nearby road. It was quiet, peaceful, and quite pretty.

  I shook off the thought and steeled myself for what was to come. Gina and Frederick needed to lay off Vicki, let her decide what she wanted for her wedding. I’d put it nicely, of course, in the hopes they would hear me out, but I wasn’t confident it was going to work. I simply had to try to stand strong and refuse to take no for an answer.

  I made my way to the front of the house, mentally prepping myself for what I was going to say. If I could get them to concede, just a little, it would be a win. I took a deep breath, let it out in a huff, and then knocked on the door.

  The light upstairs immediately went out.

  A cold chill swept through me then. Were Gina and Frederick avoiding me? Or were they simply turning in for the night and hadn’t heard my knock?

  I hammered harder, just in case.

  The door popped open.

  This time the cold chill was a full-scale blizzard. I nudged the door with my foot, pushing it open farther. It didn’t creak ominously, though my brain did provide the horror soundtrack mentally.

  “Hello?” I called. “Gina? Frederick? It’s Krissy.” No lights came on upstairs, though the downstairs one was still blazing. All was quiet inside. “Cathy? You there?”

  No answer.

  Thoroughly creeped out, I stepped into the house. The floors were hardwood, causing my footfalls to sound loud as I moved toward the light. The foyer was empty, as was the living room to my left. The light was coming from the kitchen. It spilled out into the dining room, casting shadows over the table and chairs.

  I scanned the dining room and just about screamed when I saw a dozen shining eyes staring back at me. I sucked in a breath and let it out through my teeth, remembering Vicki’s porcelain doll collection. I shuddered and looked away from their terrifying faces. How could anyone ever stand those dead, shining eyes staring at them all the time?

  “Hello?” I called again, though I knew I wasn’t going to get an answer. Maybe Gina, Frederick, and Cathy went out. They were used to Californian time, so it was likely dinnertime for them. It made sense they would find something to eat, leaving the house empty.

  Then why did the light upstairs go out?

  I glanced back the way I’d come, but no one was sneaking up on me. I had an urge to call someone, just to let them know where I was. My phone, however, was back beside my purse, which in turn, was in my car. Someday, I’d learn to take it with me.

  As I stepped into the kitchen, my foot bumped into something that clattered across the room. It bounced off the island counter and then rolled back to me.

  “Huh.” I bent over and picked it up. It was a silver candlestick, the candle broken off, top half missing. Vicki always kept a pair of them on the island counter. Trouble must have knocked one off.

  Isn’t Trouble staying with Vicki and Mason?

  The blizzard was now an icy dread. A rumble outside scratched the surface of my attention, but was unable to fully break through. Clutching the candlestick, I walked slowly around the island counter.

  First, there was a stockinged foot. Then a leg, and finally, a severe, black pantsuit.

  “Cathy?” I hurried over and dropped to my knees beside her. She was lying facedown, espresso beans scattered around her. A few feet away lay an empty coffee mug, the handle broken from where it had fallen.

  My immediate thought was that she’d had a heart attack or maybe a stroke from all the caffeine, and had fallen, knocking over the candlestick, and dropping the mug in the process. There was a mostly full, steaming pot of coffee on the counter, telling me she must have just fallen.

  I felt for a pulse, and found none, though she was still somewhat warm, further confirming that her demise was recent.

  I started to rise so I could rush out to my car and grab my phone—Vicki had long ago cut the cord, so there was no landline—when heavy footfalls sounded from the front room.

  I froze, still at a crouch. My legs started burning almost immediately, but I was too afraid to move. What if this wasn’t an accident. Lights didn’t turn off by themselves. The killer could still be here!

  I clutched at the candlestick and waited. The footfalls stopped in the dining room. There was a shuffling sound, like cloth on cloth, and then the steps continued on, toward where I was hiding.

  It was now or never.

  With a scream that startled even me, I rose from my crouch, candlestick poised above my head, ready to strike.

  “Dear me!” Frederick cried, falling back a step, hand going to his chest. Behind him, in the dining room, Gina held a bag of takeout, just above the table, frozen in the act of putting it down.

  I brought myself up short, thankfully not clunking Vicki’s dad on the head and knocking him out.

  “Kristina?” Gina said. “What on Earth are you doing here?”

  I lowered my trembling arm. Slowly, I set the candlestick aside. I was so upset, I very nearly missed the counter, before I found the hard surface. It hit with a loud clunk.

  “Krissy?” Frederick asked, eyes growing concerned. For the first time, I think he saw me as a real person, not just the person who’d led Vicki astray. “Are you all right?”

  I shook my head, took a deep breath.

  “Gina. Frederick. You might want to sit down. I have some bad news.” When neither of them moved, I swallowed, and stepped aside so they could see past me. When I spoke next, it came out mechanical, almost rehearsed. “I hate to be the one to tell you this,” I said, “but Cathy Carr is dead.”

  5

  The dark looks the Pattersons were shooting my way had me shrinking in on myself as I sat at the dining room table, waiting for the police to arrive. Gina had called them while Frederick, against my advice, rolled Cathy over onto her back to check her over. I caught a glimpse of a bluish face and immediately turned away. I couldn’t bear to look.

  It was starting to become a habit, finding bodies. I’d been repeatedly told that, bef
ore my arrival in Pine Hills, there had been little to no crime. Since then, murders had sprung up like holes in an old inner tube. Somehow, I always found myself in the middle of them.

  Sirens blared in the distance, growing closer. After I’d told the Pattersons about Cathy, we’d barely spoken more than a dozen words to one another. They didn’t want to hear my defense. They had shut me down almost the moment I’d tried to speak. As the police neared, however, I felt the need to defend myself, especially against those stony, accusatory stares.

  “I found her like that,” I said.

  “Did you now.” Gina didn’t sound convinced.

  “I swear! I came over to talk to you about Vicki’s wedding and found the door open. I walked in and found her on the floor. I thought she might have had a heart attack.”

  “You just walked in, uninvited?” Frederick asked, cold as ice.

  Realizing I wasn’t going to convince them of anything, I merely nodded and looked away. The sirens became near deafening, and then abruptly shut off as a pair of cruisers pulled to a stop behind my car in the driveway.

  Frederick rose and pointed at me. “Stay here.” Then, to his wife, “Keep an eye on her.”

  Gina clutched at a baseball bat she’d found by the front door and did as she was told. Vicki had placed the bat there the day she’d moved in and had never once felt the need to use it, let alone move it. I think she’d actually forgotten it, to be honest, but Gina sure hadn’t. She glared at me, hands flexing on the grip of the bat, daring me to try something.

  Frederick went outside to meet with the cops, leaving me alone with Gina. I considered pleading my innocence some more, but figured it would be pointless. The Pattersons had never liked me, and finding me kneeling over their favorite wedding planner, meager weapon in hand, had likely made their evening in some sick, depraved way. Now, they had a solid reason to tell Vicki to stay away from me.

  Voices neared, and then Frederick entered, Officers Paul Dalton and John Buchannan right behind him. The moment I saw Paul, I rose from my seat, a sigh of relief on my lips.

  “She did it,” Frederick said as they stepped into the dining room.

 

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