Apples and Alibis

by Gayle Leeson

I helped Ms. Dinsmore right her table before going back inside.

  “What was that about?” Jackie asked as I went back into the kitchen.

  “Ryan’s mom and Hilda Dinsmore were scuffling in the parking lot.”

  A few minutes later, Shelly brought me a note. It was from Ryan.

  I’m sorry. Are we still on for dinner?

  I wrote back: I’m game if you and your parents are. I was afraid that Michelle might not want to be anywhere near me since I’d helped her archnemesis put her table back in order.

  AT THE END OF THE DAY, I was disappointed to see that there wasn’t much left in the bakery display case. Still, I don’t think I was half as disenchanted as Oscar was. The young man had worked the register for us again, and his face fell when he saw that there were no cookies left.

  I looked around at the remaining staff members. Shelly and Donna had both left already. Scott, Jackie, Oscar, and Luis remained.

  “Could the four of you stick around for an extra job?” I asked.

  Jackie tried to hide a smile, but she didn’t have much success. She knew I was up to something. “What job is that?”

  “Cookie and brownie tasting,” I said. “No extra money, but while you wait, I’ll grill some cheese sandwiches.”

  “I’ll stay for a cheese sandwich,” Scott said.

  I explained to Scott that we normally divide what’s left in the display case among the employees on Saturday. “But, as you can see, there’s not much to divide today. I have some cookies in the freezer that are ready to bake, and I can have a batch of cola brownies ready to go into the oven in five minutes.”

  “You do that, and I’ll make the grilled cheese sandwiches,” Jackie said.

  “Nah,” I said. “Luis can help me. You stay out here and talk with Oscar and Scott. After today, I’m afraid neither of them will come back to work for us next week.”

  “All right.” Jackie nodded, letting me know that she understood my reason for wanting her to stay behind and talk with Scott.

  Later, after we’d had grilled cheese sandwiches and divided the cookies and brownies, I encouraged Scott, Luis, and Oscar to go on home.

  “No way,” Scott said. “You need our help cleaning up.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” I said. “You’ve all worked hard enough for one day.” I went ahead and paid Oscar and Scott for their one day of work. Both agreed to work again next Saturday.

  “Did you learn anything from Scott while Luis and I were making the sandwiches?” I asked Jackie after they’d left.

  “Not much. He told Oscar and me that he’d moved to Abingdon from New Mexico a couple of months ago.”

  I frowned. “How in the world did he get from New Mexico to Abingdon?”

  “I’m guessing it wasn’t in that awful little car he drives.” Jackie laughed. “That thing would have probably pooped out a little less than halfway. But, seriously, he said he moved here to be near his sister.”

  I wandered behind the counter and got some cleaning supplies.

  “We can do that Monday morning,” Jackie said. “If you’re as tired as I am, it’s all you can do to put one foot in front of the other.”

  “I am that tired. Want a drink?”

  “Bring us a drink in a to-go cup so we don’t have to worry about washing it. I’ll settle for anything cold.” She sat at the table we’d shared with Luis, Oscar, and Scott. “So, tell me about the fight in the parking lot. I figured a couple of the farmers were throwing punches, but you said it was Ryan’s mom and another woman.”

  I brought us both a sweet tea and sat across from her. “I’m not sure who started the ruckus, but Ryan’s mom and Hilda Dinsmore were both selling crocheted and knitted items. And it was obvious that the two of them have butted heads before. When I went outside, Ms. Dinsmore was accusing Michelle of thinking she was better than everybody.”

  “And then what? Give me the play by play.”

  “It all happened quickly. Ms. Dinsmore threw a crocheted hacky sack at Michelle—Ryan’s mom—and then Michelle turned Ms. Dinsmore’s table over. That’s when Ryan managed to get his mom to go back to her booth, and I helped Ms. Dinsmore tidy up.” I sipped my tea. “I didn’t even realize what Hilda Dinsmore was selling or that she and Michelle Hall knew each other when she signed on as a vendor. She’d been to Gladys Pridemore’s funeral, and I thought maybe she could tell me something pertinent about Ms. Pridemore.” I expelled a long breath. “Contrary to what I’m sure Ryan and Sheriff Billings believe, I’m not trying to interfere in the investigation, Jackie. I only want some justice for that poor woman.”

  “I think you’re still beating yourself up because we didn’t get there in time to make a difference.”

  Closing my eyes momentarily, I said, “I didn’t want to go at all.”

  “Yes, you did. If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t have agreed to do it.” She sighed. “I’m the one who’d have told her no.”

  I opened my eyes to see Jackie running her fingertip back and forth along the edge of the table.

  “We can’t help what happened,” I said. “It wasn’t our fault. We didn’t—” I faltered. “Wait...no one has ever actually said how Gladys was murdered. Was she poisoned?”

  “I don’t know.” Jackie gave me a half grin. “But I’ve got a feeling you’re going to find out.”

  I received a text message and looked down at my phone. “It’s Ryan. He wants to know if he can pick me up for dinner at six.”

  “You were supposed to have dinner with his parents tonight, weren’t you?”

  I nodded.

  “So, that’s still on?” she asked.

  “As far as I know.”

  She snorted. “Well, that should be fun.”

  When I went behind the counter to get my purse, I saw a watch with a broken band. I picked it up and showed it to Jackie. “Do you know anything about this watch?”

  “Yeah. It’s Scott’s. He must’ve forgotten it.”

  “I’ll drop it off at the Pridemore house,” I said.

  “Anything to weasel out of dinner with Ryan’s parents, eh?”

  “No, I’m still going.” I shrugged. “I’m just not in a hurry to get there.”

  “What’re we making for lunch tomorrow?”

  I sighed. I wasn’t ready to think about making lunch for Mom and Aunt Bess. I was still trying to get over making lunch for half the county. “How about a brunch-type menu?”

  “Sure,” Jackie said. “Eggs, ham rolls, hash brown casserole...”

  “Maybe some mini quiches. Lots of fresh fruit.”

  “I know Granny needs the fruit, but we’d better have some chocolate fondue for her to dip her fruit into so she doesn’t fuss.”

  I smiled. “That sounds really good.”

  “It does. Kinda makes me want it for dinner.”

  “Me, too. If I get stood up by Ryan, would you and Roger like to meet me at the big house for dinner?”

  “You won’t get stood up,” she said.

  “How do you know?”

  She scoffed. “Because Ryan is crazy about you.”

  { }

  Chapter Twelve

  R

  yan called me while I was driving home.

  “Hey,” he said softly. “I’m sorry about my behavior earlier today. Mom was freaking out..and I’m not crazy about your having a suspected arsonist working in the café.”

  “Scott’s a hard worker and friendly with everyone. You should’ve seen how kind he was to Luis’s little brother Oscar today.”

  “You know who else was friendly?” Ryan’s voice had taken on a slight edge now, and he didn’t wait for me to answer his question. “Ted Bundy. Did you forget why you hired Scott?”

  “No, and we did get more information from him,” I said. “Jackie learned that he came here from New Mexico to be closer to his sister.”

  “My dad is looking forward to meeting you, and both my parents are eager to get to know you better.”

  I was glad Ryan
had changed the subject, but I wasn’t sure his mother was all that psyched to get to know me...especially since I’d been in cahoots with her enemy, Hilda Dinsmore. I hadn’t realized I’d been in cahoots, nor that Hilda was Mrs. Hall’s enemy, but that was beside the point.

  Ryan suggested a steakhouse in Bristol. “Would that be all right with you?”

  “That sounds great. I need to go home, feed the pets, and get ready. Would it be all right if I meet you there?”

  “Sure, but I’d be happy to pick you up,” he said.

  “I know, but your dad has been out of town. If you go ahead and meet them, that’ll give the two of you more time together.” And it’ll give me more time to prepare.

  “All right. See you soon.”

  Rory came to greet me as soon as I walked through the front door. I picked him up and gave him a cuddle as Princess Eloise wound around my ankles.

  After I fed the pets, I took extra care with my appearance. I chose a summery dress with a tiny floral print and paired it with a cropped denim jacket with the sleeves cuffed. Tan wedge espadrilles completed the look without making it appear I was trying too hard. I wore a dainty necklace my Nana had given me and pearl stud earrings. Then I spent twenty minutes applying my makeup to look “natural.”

  When I got into the car, the first thing I noticed was Scott’s watch with the broken band lying on my passenger seat.

  Rats! Why hadn’t I remembered to take that by the Pridemore house earlier? Oh, well...

  Upon arriving at the Pridemore property, I parked near the Ostermann’s mobile home rather than in the designated corn maze parking area. I knew if I didn’t, I could be blocked in half the night. If I was truly trying to weasel out of dinner with Ryan’s parents as Jackie had suggested, that’s where I’d have left the Bug. But I didn’t. Which goes to show how badly I really did want to have dinner with Ryan’s parents. Really.

  I got out of the car, pocketed the watch and my keys, and went in search of Scott. I found him putting blocks of dry ice in small plastic trash cans with holes in them. They were attached with something that looked like dryer hose to fog machines.

  Before I got close enough to call out to Scott, Nadine walked past him and pinched his butt. Scott ignored his employer, and I wondered if her harassment was a common occurrence.

  “Scott!” I called.

  He turned. “Whoa! Amy-licious! You look gorgeous.”

  “Thank you.” I handed him his watch. “You forgot this at the café. I’m sorry about the band.”

  “Aw, that’s all right. I have another at home.” He put the watch in his pocket. “You didn’t have to come all the way out here to drop it off.”

  “No problem. I’m heading to Bristol to have dinner with Ryan and his parents.”

  “Good luck with that,” he said. “Moms always seem to like me. Dads? Not so much.”

  Lowering my voice, I said, “I...um...saw Nadine pinch you.”

  He nodded. “Yeah. She does stuff like that sometimes.” He turned up one side of his mouth as if to say, what’re you gonna do?

  “Just to you or to other employees too?” I asked.

  “I don’t pay attention to what she does to anyone else.”

  “You don’t have to take that, you know.”

  He patted my shoulder. “It’s okay.”

  It wasn’t okay. I brooded over how not okay it was all the way to the restaurant. Either Scott needed his job too badly to rock the boat and tell Nadine to stop objectifying him, or else he didn’t mind her attention. It wasn’t all right for men to subject women to that sort of behavior, and it wasn’t all right if the roles were reversed either.

  The restaurant parking lot was crowded, and people were lined up on the sidewalk waiting for a table. I found a space, parked, and checked my phone. Ryan had texted me that he and his parents had a table in the bar area.

  I went inside and saw Ryan standing by a table, waving me over. I hurried over, and Ryan kissed my cheek.

  “Amy, this is my dad, David,” Ryan said. “And you already know my mom.”

  David rose to shake my hand, and I told him it was nice to meet him. He echoed the sentiment. I could now see which parent Ryan resembled. He looked nothing like his mother, but David Hall was an older version of his son. Both men had the same dark brown hair, although David’s now held a smattering of gray. And both had a sparkle of mischief in their deep brown eyes.

  Michelle Hall had russet red hair and hazel eyes, which held no warmth for me whatsoever. In fact, they were glowering at me at the moment.

  Ryan squeezed my waist before we took our seats.

  “We’re lucky we got here when we did, or else we’d be standing out in the parking lot at the end of that very long line,” Michelle said.

  “That’s true,” I said.

  “We went ahead and ordered an appetizer.” Michelle took a sip of her drink.

  “I hope you don’t mind,” David said.

  “I don’t care if anyone minds or not.” Michelle’s gaze bore into my eye sockets. “We’re hungry.”

  I decided then and there that if this woman was waiting for an apology from me for being late, she’d be waiting from now on. I wasn’t late. Ryan knew I was going to be a while getting ready. Granted, he didn’t know I’d needed to stop by the Pridemore house, but that was information I felt no need to volunteer.

  A waitress arrived and asked me what I’d like to drink.

  “I’d like water with lime please,” I said.

  “Watching your figure?” Michelle asked. “That’s smart.”

  I didn’t take the bait.

  “Guess who was at the farmers’ market today?” Michelle asked David. Without waiting for a reply, she said, “Hilda Dinsmore.”

  David groaned. “It wasn’t a repeat of the church fundraiser, was it? Please tell me you didn’t create a ruckus.”

  Michelle huffed. “I did no such thing. She started it.” She pushed back her chair. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go to the ladies’ room.”

  As soon as Michelle was out of earshot, I asked, “What happened at the church fundraiser?”

  “Michelle thought Hilda upstaged her because Hilda had her items priced lower and sold more pieces,” David said. “They argued about it right there in front of God and everybody.”

  “Don’t forget the shoving match,” Ryan said.

  David laughed. “I wanted to schedule a pay-per-view fight and call it—” He tried to make his voice sound like that of an announcer. “—Altercation at the Altar.” Regular voice, “Or if you prefer—” Announcer voice, “Violence in the Vestibule.”

  “Instead, we end up with Fracas at the Farmers’ Market,” Ryan said.

  “Maybe next week, we can sell tickets and call the match Throwdown Amongst the Turnips,” I said with a grin. “But why is there such animosity between Michelle and Hilda Dinsmore?”

  “Because Michelle wanted it to be obvious to everyone in the church that she’d made more money with her craft than Hilda had. Hilda’s items were smaller and, I imagine, easier to make than Michelle’s afghans.” David took a drink of his iced tea. “So, Hilda sold more of her bookmarks and ornaments, but Michelle’s afghans brought in more money for the church.”

  “Then why wasn’t she happy?” I asked.

  Both David and Ryan laughed.

  “Because Michelle wanted it to be obvious to everyone that she’d made more money with her craft than Hilda had,” David said. “The woman is as competitive as all get out.”

  “But it...it wasn’t a competition,” I said. “They were working together for a common goal.”

  “Try telling her that,” Ryan said.

  “To Michelle, everything is a competition.” David’s lips twitched. “We’d better hush. Here she comes.”

  “What did I miss?” Michelle asked as she sat back down.

  “Not a thing, dear.” David nodded toward the waitress, who was approaching with their appetizer. “See? You’re just in time.�
��

  I didn’t partake of the stuffed mushrooms partly because I wasn’t terribly hungry and partly because Michelle had made such a big deal out of the fact that the three of them were famished.

  Michelle speared one and put it on the plate in front of her. “So, Ryan...how’s Ivy?”

  “She’s fine,” Ryan said.

  Wanting to contribute to the conversation, I said, “Speaking of your coworkers, I believe Sheriff Billings will be thrilled to have Molly get back home.”

  “I’m sure he will be, but he’ll undoubtedly miss your cooking.” Ryan squeezed my hand.

  “I hope he’ll bring his wife to the café when she returns.” I smiled. “I’d enjoy meeting her.”

  “Have you met Ivy Donaldson?” Michelle asked me.

  “I have. Ivy’s great.”

  “It doesn’t bother you that she and Ryan dated?” Michelle watched to see if my expression would change. I tried to hold that smile, but I must’ve faltered just enough to clue her in. “Oh. You didn’t know?” She looked at her son. “Oops. Sorry, darling. I hope I didn’t open any cans of worms.”

  “Michelle, what’re you talking about?” David demanded. “Ryan and Ivy didn’t date.”

  Ryan shot his dad a look of gratitude. “Thanks, Dad.” He looked at me. “Ivy and I went to a dinner together right after I was hired. Almost all our coworkers were there. Just because Ivy and I carpooled didn’t make it a date.”

  “Oh. Sorry,” Michelle murmured. “I guess I misunderstood. You spoke so highly of her that I got the impression it had been more than a business dinner.”

  “Ivy certainly is a fascinating person,” I said. “Aunt Bess tried to learn all about Ivy’s work when Ivy visited us on Wednesday evening.”

  “Ivy came to girls’ night?” Ryan asked.

  “Yes. I thought I told you about that.”

  “I don’t think so,” he said, “but you should realize Ivy doesn’t socialize very much. She must really like you.”

  “Tell us more about you, Amy,” David said.

  Not quite knowing what to say, I told them about Nana leaving me some money to follow my dreams. “I bought the Down South Café, had it renovated, and the rest is history.”