by Lyndsey Cole
Jason stroked Smokey before beginning his story. “Trisha and her mother were sitting at a back corner table, not far from where I was being plied with drinks. Her father joined them after awhile.” He shook his head. “Those guys were intent on getting me drunk in the hopes I’d share some interesting tales from my past that they could embarrass me with for the wedding toast, but I managed to dilute the drinks and stay relatively sober.” He put his hands up. “I know what you’re thinking: I’m no fun, but after hearing what happened tonight, I’m glad I kept my wits about me.”
“How did you know who they were?” Annie asked.
“Really? I remember Trisha when she and Leona had their falling out. Thirty years ago. Trisha hasn’t changed all that much. I don’t know how she does it, but she barely looks older than the last time I saw her.”
Leona snorted. “Of course she doesn’t look older. Her face is paralyzed from Botox shots to smooth out her wrinkles. She probably did some kind of skin peel, too, for all the sun damage she must have. In other words,” Leona waved dismissively, “she cheats with her looks just like she cheats about her designs.”
“You certainly haven’t softened your opinion of your cousin after all these years, Leona,” Jason said. “Anyway, as I was saying, the three of them seemed to be relaxed until Trisha stood up and screamed at her father. Something about him not knowing what he was talking about and she wanted Steve out of the business and out of her life. She was sick of him sneaking off to see Leona.”
Leona’s eyes popped open. “Sneaking off to see me? That’s ridiculous. I’ve kept in touch but I haven’t seen him in years until this morning. Trisha is delusional.”
Chapter 4
Friday had that sweet, earthy, after-the-rain smell.
Annie inhaled deeply on her early morning walk along the Lake Trail with Roxy. She had decided to sneak out early while everyone was still asleep.
Well, everyone except Leona. She had already left for the café to get her baking started. Annie chuckled to herself, imagining the hangover Leona probably was dealing with. Her chuckle vanished when her thoughts turned to worry and anger about the Trisha situation.
Annie wanted to sort out the questions surrounding Steve Fitch’s murder before Tyler and Christy arrived with their own interrogation. The fragile friendship between Christy and Annie was falling apart and Tyler was acting like he had a chip on his shoulder. Annie wondered if Tyler was having a hard time with her wedding coming closer. After all, they had been engaged and Annie had moved on. She wasn’t one hundred percent sure Tyler had managed to move on, too. Tyler and Christy dated, but since they worked together, it seemed as though there were several bumps on that path.
“Hey. Wait up,” Annie heard a voice shout from behind her. She smiled when she watched Jason break into a jog and catch up to her.
“Did you get any sleep?” he asked.
“Enough. Leona’s the one I’m worried about. In more ways than one.”
“She’s tough.” Jason draped his arm over Annie’s shoulders and they continued behind Roxy. The sun warmed the wet soil and steam rose off the rocks. “Do you really think Trisha is involved in Steve’s murder?”
“Yes. Maybe not directly, but something about her or her business could be the motivator. And, a stormy night to shroud the murderer as he or she followed Steve and used a branch to whack him over the head was a convenient cover.” Annie looked at Jason. “I didn’t tell you this part: Tyler was leaning toward it being an accident but the branch was from a cedar and I told him there aren’t any cedar trees near your house.”
“That’s true, but there is an old cedar arbor that could have blown apart.”
“I forgot about that. We should check if it’s still standing.”
He steered her around one hundred eighty degrees. “Let’s head back for some breakfast. With any luck Mia got something started.”
Annie jabbed Jason in his ribs. “With any luck, they’ve all cleared out and given us the house back.” Her eyes twinkled when she looked at him.
“I expect that’s too much to wish for since Tyler and Christy had just pulled in when I left to catch up with you,” Jason explained. “There’s something else I didn’t share last night in front of everyone. I wanted to tell you first.”
“Oh? I hope this is a romantic whisper coming in my ear and not bad news.”
“I wish it was romantic but, no.” Jason looped his arm through Annie’s. “It’s something else I overheard Trisha tell her father last night, along with the bit about getting Steve out of her life. She said Steve got her what she wanted—the lease for her new boutique in the Cove’s Corner building. Diagonally across the hall from the Black Cat Café.”
“What? How did I not know about this? I own the building.” Annie stopped dead in her tracks, blinking and trying to think back on the lease negotiations.
Jason urged her forward. “Mia was handling it since you’ve been so busy with the wedding stuff. My guess is that Trisha planned it so everyone would miss the fact that she was hiding her name under some maze of other businesses.”
“Mom did tell me about a dress boutique moving in, but Trisha’s name never came up. She never would have agreed to have Trisha as a tenant.” Annie gave Jason a quizzical look.
“You’re right; Mia didn’t know. It sounds like Steve managed to get in through the back door and Trisha’s plan was to blindside you after the lease was finalized. The last chore Trisha gave her husband and vice president before she made big changes in her company and her life. Or so it appears.”
“The opening for Dazzle Design is today,” Annie said before staring up into Jason’s face. “Leona will have a major meltdown with Trisha doing her cocky, self-satisfied, better-than-everyone-else act. We could have another murder to deal with.”
“You think Trisha will kill Leona?” Jason asked.
“No. I think Leona might kill Trisha. Well, not really kill her, but Leona’s anger has only built up over all the years from what I saw yesterday. She’s one step away from doing something drastic once she finds out about Trisha’s sneaky trick.” Annie picked up the pace. “We’ve got to head this off, or at least prepare Leona for what’s coming her way.”
“Good morning, you two early birds. Just who I was hoping to find,” Police Chief Tyler Johnson said with his eyes on Annie.
Jason tightened his grip on Annie’s arm and stepped forward a bit toward Tyler. “Good morning, Tyler. Have you wrapped up your investigation?”
“Almost.” He kept his eyes on Annie as he answered Jason. “We’ve examined your cedar arbor and there’s a piece missing. Was it missing before yesterday?”
They walked toward the arbor. One piece was obviously missing, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the arbor. “I don’t think so,” Jason said. “It was repaired last month so the wisteria could climb on it.” Jason looked closely at the space. “It looks like the missing piece was forced off.” He pointed to a bent nail. “This nail was pulled partway out and bent sideways when the cedar branch was twisted off.”
Tyler nodded his head. “That’s what I think, too. That cedar branch didn’t fall on Steve Fitch’s head by accident. Did you see or hear anyone outside the house last night before you found the body, Annie?”
Annie shook her head. “With all the noise from the storm, and us,” she added with a smile, “I didn’t hear anything. Roxy did, though. She barked and I went outside with her. That’s when I tripped on the body.”
“And you never went out front before your friends arrived?” Tyler asked.
“Nope. When I got home, I dashed in through the kitchen door as fast as I could to get out of the rain. Everyone else came in that way, too.”
“How about you, Jason?”
“I was home most of the day, but I never heard anything. Like Annie said, the weather created enough noise to drown out everything else. I left and went into town after she got home.”
Tyler jotted some notes in his notebook. He
took some photos of the arbor and some measurements. “The body was over there for several hours before Annie discovered it.” He pointed to the bottom of the porch steps, about forty five feet away. “Possibly even before she got home. Are you positive you didn’t hear anything, Jason?”
“Positive. I was busy on my computer and with a conference call all afternoon.”
Tyler closed his notebook and stuck it in his pocket. “I’ll need to talk to the others who were here. Especially Leona. She may have been the last person to see the victim alive.”
“What are you implying, Tyler Johnson? Leona didn’t murder Steve Fitch.” Annie jabbed her finger in Tyler’s chest and her eyes blazed.
“There you go again, getting all defensive. Someone saw Leona and Steve talking outside the Black Cat Café. That’s all I’m saying. But if I remember correctly, Leona and Steve had a thing for each other. At least until Trisha came into the picture and stole him away.” Tyler glared at Annie. “Am I wrong?”
Annie turned her back on Tyler, mumbling over her shoulder as she walked away. “You’ll have to ask Leona, but what you are referring to happened more than twenty years ago, and don’t forget, Tyler, now Leona is happily engaged to Danny.”
“Those old feelings can linger and fester, Annie.”
Jason caught up with Annie and they walked inside. “What was that all about? I got the feeling it was more than just old stuff between Leona and Steve. I think Tyler still has feelings for you and he’s letting that cloud his judgement about how Leona might feel toward Steve.”
“And it wouldn’t be the first time Tyler got in his own way. We have to dig into Trisha’s business before Leona gets blamed for Steve’s murder. Or, like I said last night, something worse happens.” Annie picked up her phone from the dining room table. “Uh oh. Leona has a problem.”
Annie sent a text back to Leona’s panicked message about a huge problem she discovered when she arrived at the Black Cat Cafe—I’ll be right there. DON’T DO ANYTHING.
Annie and Jason drove to the Black Cat Café after Annie sent an urgent message to Camilla to meet her for some strategy involving the new dress shop. Jason said he’d get breakfast while Annie talked to Leona.
The café had several customers but Leona tore off her apron when Annie walked in and pulled her outside through the French doors to the deck that overlooked Heron Lake. “I’ve got a problem,” she said as she stuffed a big manila envelope into Annie’s hands. “This was under the door when I arrived this morning. Don’t look at it here.” She hustled back inside.
Jason carried out a tray with two egg sandwiches with hash browns and salsa on the side, plus two mugs of coffee. “Shall we eat out here?” he asked, waiting for Annie to decide.
She looked around at the deserted deck and chose a table as far away from the French doors as possible.
Jason set the plates and coffee down, one for himself and one for Annie. “What’s in the envelope?”
Annie turned the envelope over, checking both sides, but all she found was Leona’s name written in black marker. “I don’t know. Leona just stuck it in my hands, said not to look at it here, and went back inside.”
Jason slid the envelope across the table into his lap. “She didn’t tell me not to look at it.” He glanced at Annie. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all. I’m dying of curiosity.”
Jason slipped out a sketch pad, flipped open the black leather cover, and thumbed through several pages. He closed it and quickly slid it back in the envelope. “This is strange.”
Annie bit off a big chunk of egg and cheese sandwich, chewed, swallowed, and asked, “What is it?”
Jason leaned across the table as close to Annie as he could get and whispered, “A sketch pad full of dress designs. Whose is it and how did Leona get it?”
Annie stopped chewing, her mouth open and her eyes big. “I don’t know. Maybe Steve left it for her in case he didn’t get a chance to talk to her.”
“Why are you guys hiding out here?” Camilla approached the table with a mug of steaming coffee. “Leona told me you might still be here.” She pulled a chair up to Annie and Jason’s table. “So. What’s so urgent?”
“One problem that Leona knows about and one she doesn’t. Yet. What do you want to hear first, the bad news or the extremely bad news?” Annie asked.
“How about the good news? I’ve got some.” Camilla smiled and tilted her head. “I just bumped into Trisha Fitch.” Camilla leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Apparently, her store manager bailed on her and she’s desperate for help today for her opening.”
“You already know about the opening? That’s the bad news Leona hasn’t heard yet,” Annie explained.
Camilla flicked her fingers as if the information was nothing. “Trisha told me all about it. And you know what else? Trisha didn’t even mention her dead husband. I guess she’s just glad he’s out of the way. She only seemed concerned about finding help for the opening.” Camilla sat back in her chair. “Of course, I offered to help her out. It’s the least I could do, right?” She leaned forward again, her eyes glowing. “And, she’s giving me clothes to wear. I can’t believe how easy it was to infiltrate the enemy.”
Annie was stunned. “You’re amazing Camilla. And this is perfect timing with my art gallery closed until after our honeymoon.”
She tossed her head back and beamed. “I know. Trisha said I have the right look to be one of her sales associates. So, what’s the extremely bad news?”
Annie scooched her chair right next to Camilla. “Leona found an envelope under the café door when she got here this morning. There’s a sketch pad inside full of dress designs.”
“Oh boy.” Camilla’s eyebrows shot up and she rubbed her hands together. “I’ve got some important information to dig out from under Trisha’s pile of dirty laundry.”
“You need to be careful. She could be the killer.”
Camilla slid her chair back. “I’m not worried. I took a self-defense class.” She karate chopped the air and laughed. “I have to go try on my wardrobe. See you later.”
Annie looked at Jason. “We need to find that store manager. I wonder why she bailed on Trisha.”
Chapter 5
Leona walked through the French doors onto the deck, holding a carafe of coffee. “Refills out here?” she asked before setting the carafe down and taking the seat vacated by Camilla. She didn’t bother to refill Annie or Jason’s mugs.
Annie poured the coffee herself. “How’s it going inside?”
“That’s why I’m here.” She glowered at Annie. “Do you know who owns the new dress shop that’s opening across from my café today?”
“Not until this morning I didn’t,” Annie said without looking at Leona.
Leona pushed her chair back and stood up.
Annie’s arm shot out and stopped Leona from leaving. “Wait. Honestly, I don’t know how it happened, but we’ll figure out how to use it to get information on Trisha.”
Leona slumped back onto the chair. “There’s a woman in the café sitting at the counter tearing Trisha to pieces. Her rant should make me feel good, but thinking about even seeing Trisha’s face every day when I come to work makes me want to throw up.”
“Did the woman say who she is?” Annie asked with both hands grabbing Leona’s.
“The ex-store manager, I think. Of course she’s angry, who wouldn’t be?”
“Camilla.” Annie looked into the distance, not focusing on anything while her mind ran away from her.
“What does she have to do with the new shop? Has she gone over to the dark side?” Leona asked angrily. “Dangle a few fancy dresses in her face and she forgets who her friends are?”
“Of course not. Your customer quit and left Trisha desperate for help. Camilla was at the right place at the right time. She offered to help so now she’s on the inside and can search for dirt on the business.”
A smile started to creep across Leona’s face. “Devious.” She
stood up again. “I’ll send my new best friend out here to chat with you.”
“Perfect. Exactly what I was thinking. Give her some blueberry muffins to bring out. I need something to go with this second cup of coffee now that my egg sandwich is gone.”
Jason got up too. “I need to head home. Will you be okay by yourself with this person?”
Annie waved him away. “Of course.”
He leaned close to her ear. “Don’t believe everything she says or offer her too much information. She may have an agenda, too.”
“I never thought of that. This could get complicated. Here,” Annie tucked the envelope under Jason’s arm, “you should keep the envelope with you.”
Jason held the French doors open for a young woman coming out. She carried a plate with blueberry muffins and raspberry squares. Annie sized her up as she approached—twenty something, tall, slim, blonde, skinny jeans, tight low-cut top, scarf, and high heels. She could be a model, Annie thought. Definitely someone who could give other women advice on style. At least, women who wanted that kind of advice, Annie thought, excluding herself from that group.
The woman set the plate down and sat across from Annie. She held her hand out. “Scarlet. The person inside asked me to bring these muffins out to you.”
Annie reached across the table, introducing herself to this interesting woman. “Help yourself.” Annie took a muffin and slid the plate closer to Scarlet. If anything might get this woman to relax and spill some beans, it would be Leona’s blueberry muffins with streusel topping. The raspberry square might do the trick, too.
Scarlet chose a raspberry square and nibbled at one corner. “Delicious. I don’t usually eat sweets but I have a soft spot for raspberries.” She took another miniscule nibble.
