Murder, Trouble & Family

by Marianne Spitzer

  Things quieted down after lunch. It was a good thing since I had a two o’clock appointment with Miss Faith. Aunt Irene came to the store to watch things and Yummy while I went to discuss my wedding dress. Armed with my bride magazine and a detailed description of the dress, I headed for Miss Faith’s.

  Miss Faith and Joy lived in a large hundred-year-old farmhouse on the edge of town. I pulled up near the front porch and was greeted by three wildly barking dogs.

  Oh goodness gracious, what am I going to do now? I’m not going to get out and be devoured. Don’t they hear the dogs barking? Maybe I’m early. I should call.

  I reached for my phone and saw Joy open the front door. All three dogs ran up onto the porch and settled down near the porch swing. Joy motioned me to come in.

  I walked into Miss Faith’s house and back in time. Her home was filled with antiques and floral furnishings. It had been years since I was here. The house didn’t appear to have changed one bit.

  “Come on back to the sewing room. Mom is waiting for you,” Joy said as she turned and walked toward the back of the house.

  The sewing room was in a corner room and a stark contrast to the gentle coziness of the parlor. Two huge windows on two walls flooded the room with light. Two new sewing machines sat on long tables on either side of the room.

  Miss Faith hurried up to me and hugged me. “I’m so happy to hear about your wedding. That Clark Cavenaugh is such a nice boy.”

  Boy? I’m forty…well, forty-something and Clark is four years older. I guess Miss Faith must be sixty at least so maybe Clark is a boy to her.

  “Yes, he is and I’m thrilled you’re going to make my gown. This is what I had in mind. I handed her my magazine.”

  She walked back and forth humming a tune I didn’t recognize and turned back to me. “This is lovely and will look wonderful on you. I can replicate this dress with no problem.”

  I showed her the crystal belt that I wanted to wear with it.

  “Perfect, perfect, perfect,” she muttered. She took measurements, more than I would have imagined necessary, but she’s the expert. She called out numbers and Joy made notes.

  We settled on price, time frame, fitting appointments, and I left a deposit check. Ninety minutes after I arrived I was on my way back to the bookstore. I don’t know where the time went.

  ~ * ~

  I walked back into the bookstore and found Aunt Irene staring intently at papers on the front desk.

  “Hi, Aunt Irene, what are you reading?”

  She looked up as I placed my purse on the counter and Yummy barked from his bed under my desk.

  “Applications for summer jobs. Why are you taking applications? Laci always works here during tourist season.” She squinted at me.

  I blew out a breath. “Laci e-mailed me this morning saying she refuses to work here this summer if I marry Clark. She doesn’t want to run into him. Evidently, Claudine told her he’s dangerous.”

  “Oh for Pete’s sake. That woman is a real pain. Why does Laci believe her instead of you?”

  I shrugged. “I have no idea. I thought she’d wait until she came back from school before making any decisions. She also wants to live in the empty apartment above the store. She told me if the rent is too high, Claudine will pay for it. I nearly cried, but decided that if she doesn’t want to work here, I need to find someone else before tourist season’s here, and I’m without help. Plus if Clark and I go on a honeymoon this summer, I’ll need the extra help.”

  Aunt Irene nodded. “Are you going to let her live upstairs?”

  “I’m not sure,” I leaned my arms on the counter. “If I do, she’ll have to prove she has a job like any other tenant. I refuse to take Claudine’s money. If I let Laci live here for free, she’ll think she can do whatever she wants. I thought after going to college her rebellious stage would disappear.”

  “Why? Yours hasn’t.” Aunt Irene laughed. “You’re still stubborn. You still get into trouble with Georgie. Laci’s more like you than you realize.” She laughed again.

  “Maybe,” I smiled. “I stopped at the market on the way in this morning to put the ad on the bulletin board. I didn’t expect an application this soon.”

  “You have three,” Aunt Irene handed me the applications.

  “Three so soon?”

  “Yup, the March triplets.”

  “April, May, and June want to work here?”

  The March triplets are three identical twins with long red hair and big brown eyes. No one except their mom can tell them apart. At the Fourth of July picnic last summer, I was a judge at the identical twin contest and the girls stopped by to watch. I stared at each one, and I swear all the freckles sprinkled across their noses were identical.

  “I guess I could work out a schedule with them especially if I’m gone for a couple of weeks.” I picked up the applications and read them over.

  I smiled at Aunt Irene. “Even their printing and signatures are the same. The only differences are their names and Social Security Numbers. Since they only wrote the letter “H” for a middle name I suppose their middle name is the same. I wonder why none of them added it.”

  Aunt Irene smiled back. “I don’t think they like it. Each middle name is after their great-great grandma on their daddy’s side, Hortense March.”

  “I remember reading about her in the museum. Didn’t her husband settle here at the same time great-grandpa did?”

  “Yup, your great-granddad, Andrew Gibbons, settled here with Isaac March, Percy Westbridge, and Seymour Phillips. That was years before the Kelleher family arrived and purchased all the remaining lake property from the fledgling town.

  “I’m glad great-grandpa Andrew settled on a piece of the lake front, or I wouldn’t have the nice view of the lake and you wouldn’t have your cottage. We’re fortunate only four families built homes before the Kelleher family grabbed the rest. We could have a crowded lake front.”

  Aunt Irene smiled and sat on my desk chair. “I guess it wouldn’t matter now since you own most of the lake and the Kelleher mansion. Do you know when you’re going to transfer the title to the town?”

  I shook my head. “I told Lucas it won’t be until after the wedding. I have plans to make, and I need to meet with the County, the museum people, an antique dealer, and the Historical Society to see what is going to be done with the mansion. I won’t allow it to be torn down, or additions made. It has to remain as it is now and, of course, no new construction on the lake. Lucas sent a letter to the mayor, and he’s not happy.” I picked up my purse and checked to see if my debit card was in my wallet.

  Aunt Irene mumbled, “The mayor is never happy.”

  I asked her if she’d take Yummy home because I needed to grocery shop.

  “Sure,” she answered and jotted a few things down for me to pick up for her.

  I locked the front door behind her and turned the sign to ‘Closed.’ I watched her drive off in her lime green car before heading out the back door to my SUV.

  I hate grocery shopping alone. Clark and I used to go together and had more fun than two adults should in a grocery store, but Clark always makes me smile and laugh out loud. I guess I can handle shopping and making meals for just me or Aunt Irene and me for a couple more weeks. I might be eating alone more often since Aunt Irene seems to enjoy Lyle’s company more and more. His daughter must be furious, but life is short. You need to grab happiness where and when you can. I wish Laci would understand that.

  ~ * ~

  I hauled all the groceries into my kitchen and set them on my table. I pulled out the items I purchased for Aunt Irene and traded her groceries for Yummy. He was excited to see me and ran around in circles while I put my cold and frozen foods away.

  Another long day. I was ready for a hot bath and most likely a frozen dinner. I grabbed my purse to be sure I had my cell phone with me in case Clark calls or texts.

  Okay, Annie, what did you do with your phone? My car. I bet I left it in my car.

&n
bsp; After crawling all over my car and practically getting my arm caught under the passenger seat, I came to the realization that it wasn’t in the car. I had it earlier. It must be in the house. I hurried back in and called my cell from my landline. I didn’t hear a ring, and I listened while my voice mail picked up.

  I groaned. It must be at the bookstore. It was getting dark, and I felt bad leaving Yummy home again, but I could make it to the bookstore and back quicker without him. I heard his yips when I closed the powder room door, grabbed my purse, and headed for the garage.

  Most of the stores on Main Street were closed, and I was able to park right in front of the bookstore. I opened the door and flipped on the lights above the desk. I turned to close the door when I saw the papers on the floor.

  Hmm, more applications. Kids must be in a hurry to find summer jobs. No, that’s not an application. That’s a piece of Claudine’s fancy ivory color personal stationery.

  I bent over to pick it up and saw Claudine’s neat script. She always had beautiful penmanship. That might be her only good quality. She had written one word on the paper: “Killer.” Did she think no one would know it was her? Not only did I recognize the handwriting, but her initials are embossed on the stationery. I understand she’s grieving, but I am tired of this. It’s harassment plain and simple. I will give it to Lucas. Evidently the letter and talk with her didn’t help. Something more needs to be done. I wondered what else she dropped in my mail slot. The other paper was plain copy paper.

  I laughed to myself as I picked it up. Maybe it’s an itemized statement of the trouble she thinks I caused her.

  Oh no, not again. Breathe Annie and find the phone. Where is my cell phone? Lock the door Annie now. What if they’re in the back of the store? Run out the front, no stop. They could be on the street. Turn on all the lights now.

  I hit all the light switches and the store flooded with light. I wish I brought Yummy. If anyone is here, he’d bark. I couldn’t find my cell phone, and then I saw the store phone. I’m losing my mind. Why didn’t I think of it before? I grabbed it and dialed 911. I mumbled into the phone about being threatened again and that I would be murdered, and the male voice on the other end said someone was on the way.

  I stared at the paper in my hand. The sloppy block printed note read: “Stop snooping or you’ll be next.”

  I can’t believe it. Not many weeks ago I had received similar threatening notes when Georgie and I were investigating Inga Kelleher’s murder. Whoever killed Barbara probably knew about those notes and decided this was a good way to scare me. It’s working. Clark isn’t here to sleep on my couch this time and protect me. I’m doomed. Sirens, I hear sirens.

  Blue and red lights flashed in front of the store, and Officer Carolyn Dawlins ran to the front door. I let her in, and the tears began to fall. I was as angry as I was scared, and the sight of Carolyn allowed my emotions to take over. I handed her the paper.

  She read it and glanced at me when Lou from the diner ran into the bookstore. Carolyn spun around with her hand on her gun.

  “Lou, you should know better than to run into a crime scene especially when the police are already here. I could have shot you,” Carolyn exclaimed.

  Lou’s hand shot to his chest, and his face was ashen. “Crime scene? Is someone else dead? Annie’s okay. Oh no, Irene. Is Irene dead?” He reached for the wall to steady himself, and I heard Carolyn call for an ambulance.

  “No, Lou. No one is dead. I got a threatening note. That’s all. Calm down before you have another heart attack.” I guided him to a chair next to the first row of bookshelves.

  He sat and nodded, but his face was still pale. When he began to breathe heavily, I called to Carolyn, and she radioed for the ambulance to hurry.

  I fought back tears as I watched the paramedics load Lou in the van and drive off to the hospital.

  I turned to look at Carolyn. “Whoever killed Barbara sent that note. He’s terrorizing me, and he might have killed Lou. What if he dies?” I couldn’t hold back my tears, and they ran down my cheeks faster than I could wipe them off.

  Clifford hurried into the bookstore and told Carolyn to go down to the diner and tell them to close up for the night. Lou’s wife was on her way to the hospital. She nodded and hurried out.

  Clifford insisted I sit while he looked over the note. He also glanced at Claudine’s note. He held up Claudine’s fancy stationery and said, “I will put a stop to this tonight. I’ll stop at her home on my way back to the station. Grieving or not, she can’t do this.”

  “Thanks, she’s hated me since high school. She really thinks I killed Barbara. I didn’t. I just found her body. I could tell she was strangled. It’s horrible to think that could happen here in Heavenly Corners and for her to think I did it.” My tears returned.

  “Annie, don’t cry. I don’t consider you a suspect. I’m not going to arrest you. I’m worried the killer will harm you if you continue to investigate.” He paced back and forth in front of the door.

  “Thanks, Clifford. I know I usually find myself in trouble, but I’m also useful, and so is Georgie. Did anyone at the P.D. think to check out the grave? No, but I did. I read about it in a book or maybe it was a movie. Well, it could be something I dreamed up for one of my books. I’m not sure, but whatever, I found her necklace. Today she’s buried, and that necklace would be lost forever under six feet of dirt.” I crossed my arms feeling anger taking over fear. I was good at sleuthing and Georgie was just as good. He can’t stop us. Well, he could, but I’ll be more careful from now on.

  Carolyn returned and asked Clifford if he felt well. His face was getting red. He yelled, “I’m fine. Check out the rest of the store before we leave.”

  Carolyn hurried toward the back of the store. When she returned with an all clear, Clifford told me I could leave. I grabbed my purse and remembered my cell phone. I found it under the March triplet’s applications, slipped it in my purse and locked up after Carolyn and Clifford walked out.

  Clifford told me to stop by the station in the morning to give a formal statement. I agreed and hurried to my car. I needed to get to the hospital to check on Lou.

  By the time I walked into the Emergency Room, I could hear Lou’s voice. He was flirting with a nurse. I said a silent prayer of thanksgiving that he was alive and apparently well.

  I told the desk nurse why I was here, and she asked me to wait a minute. Soon Lou’s wife walked out of a room down the hall and motioned me to come.

  She hugged me and said, “I’m glad you stopped by. Lou’s worried about you. He worried himself into a tizzy, and his blood pressure shot up, but he’s fine. No heart attack. They’ll monitor him until his blood pressure is back to normal. Otherwise, healthy as a horse as long as he sticks to his diet and limits stress the doc says.”

  “Knowing Lou that will be hard,” I told her. “I’m really sorry this happened. I never expected the police cars or that Lou would rush down and think someone died. Poor man thought someone killed my aunt and then he looked as if he was going to pass out.”

  “I know dear,” she patted my arm. “He loves you like a daughter and feels protective of you since you’re alone, and your store is two doors down from the diner.”

  I whispered, “Maybe he’ll calm down when I marry Clark.”

  “That’ll help,” she agreed, “but he’ll find something else to worry about. Come in and see him. It’ll do him good.”

  I stayed for fifteen minutes and left over Lou’s protests that I should stay. When I said I needed to get home to take care of Yummy, he said, “Okay, scoot on home and take care of that little fur ball. I have some beef bones for him that I’ll bring by tomorrow.”

  I waved as I hurried from the room.

  Chapter Nine

  The alarm buzzed, and I reached to hit the snooze button, but Yummy was awake and barking. He jumped off the bed onto the box I keep for him next to the bed and onto the floor. The first time he tried to jump off without the aid of the box, he lim
ped on a sore leg for a week. I wasn’t going to get any more sleep this morning since Yummy was at the bedroom door barking for me to get out of bed.

  I slipped on my robe, let him outside while I started the coffee, opened the patio door and called him back inside, and headed for the shower. Twenty minutes later I was dressed and drinking coffee desperately trying to wake up. Yummy was busy eating a can of his favorite dog food. Inga always spoiled him with fancy dog foods, and I kept it up after I inherited him. He was such a sweet dog, and I loved him. Why wouldn’t I give him the best?

  My curly hair was still wet, and I wasn’t in the mood to spend thirty minutes trying to tame the curls into waves this morning. I pulled my hair back into a low ponytail hoping it wouldn’t loosen during the day, grabbed Yummy in his carrier, and headed for the bookstore. I usually received a new book delivery on Friday, and I didn’t want to miss it. If I did, I’d have to drag the box in my back door alone. If I was there at the time of the delivery, Troy, the delivery guy, would bring it into the store for me. Troy always carried dog treats in his pockets, and I hated to see Yummy miss out on his weekly treat.

  Yummy and I made it to the store before Troy. I was busy unloading the box of books and Yummy was happily snacking on treats when the bell above the front door jingled.

  I hurried to the front of the store in time to see Detective Nate close the door. He turned and said, “Good Morning, Annie.” He smiled. I didn’t trust the smile. It looked forced.

  “What can I do for you, Detective?” I asked afraid to find out the answer.

  He dropped several gold colored coins on the front counter. “Do you recognize these?”

  I took a close look and answered, “Sure, they’re key fobs. You weren’t in town last summer so you wouldn’t know, but a local children’s charity sold them at the July 4th celebration. The initials on them make them special. I think everyone in town bought one and most of the tourists, too. Why?”