Traveling Town Mystery Boxset

by Ami Diane

  Crouching next to the vehicle, Ella reached a hand under and scratched Fluffy under his chin. Between his paws was a dead mouse. She retracted her hand as if bitten by a snake, and her face scrunched up.

  “Hm, I see now why you didn’t eat your breakfast. You were saving room for this. Very smart, very smart.”

  Ella had seen his empty bowl in the kitchen and filled it with the homemade, raw mixture from the fridge when she’d made her coffee. She wasn’t sure who typically fed him—Jimmy or Rose—so it was possible that he was already getting second helpings.

  Her eyes flitted to the massive belly currently splayed on the pavement. Actually, it was very possible.

  He rolled over, his generous body rolling with him.

  “Maybe you should go on a diet.”

  His ears twitched, apparently not fond of the idea.

  “Ella, dear.” Grandma Wink’s shadow fell over them.

  Ella stood and greeted her friend.

  Chester sat on Wink’s shoulder, his nose sniffing the air. Fluffy suddenly appeared at Ella’s feet, curling around her legs, his eyes fixed on the squirrel.

  Wink shielded her eyes from the sun. “I saw you running earlier, crazy lady. It’s too hot for that. It’s too hot for anything. I can’t wait until we flash somewhere cooler.”

  “The arctic sounds nice.”

  “Hm, not as fun as you’d think.”

  Ella opened her mouth to ask more then changed her mind. “How’s the lasagna coming?”

  Wink’s eyes hooded over. “My best one yet. Flo’s going to eat crow tonight.”

  “You’re such a good friend.”

  “Good friends push each other to produce their best.”

  “And compete… and call each other names… pour laxative on each other’s food…”

  “That too.”

  Wink then enlisted Ella’s help to serve hors d’oeuvres she’d prepared, instructing her to arrive at the potluck fifteen minutes early.

  “I’m assuming the dress code to this soiree is casual, right?” Ella looked down at her worn but now clean tennis shoes and faded shirt.

  “‘Course. We’re all family here—” Wink’s lips puckered slightly as she took in Ella’s outfit. “Unless we’re talking about your current attire. Then, I’d suggest changing.”

  “Everyone’s a critique.” Ella tugged at the hem of her shorts. “I’d love to, but all my clothes are dirty. Also, I didn’t bring anything nice to begin with because, you know, I planned on returning home.”

  “Well, why didn’t you say so? I’ve got lots of things you can have that I’ve outgrown.” Her veiny hand smoothed over her hip.

  “Outgrown? What, were they your baby clothes?” Images of herself in a fuchsia tracksuit flooded Ella’s mind. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think any of your stuff would fit me.”

  “Nonsense. Come along.”

  “It’s just, I’ve got so much to do. Bills to pay…”

  “No you don’t.”

  “…and Fluffy needs fed.”

  “He’s eating right now.”

  Sure enough, the feline had gone back to gnawing on his treat, causing Ella’s stomach to churn.

  Wink dragged her by the elbow to a blue Cadillac.

  “Help! I’m being kidnapped!”

  “Hush. People’ll report you for disturbing the peace.”

  “Good to know if I ever get abducted.” Ella looked around the interior of the car. At least they wouldn’t be trudging up the steep hill to Wink’s place on foot. “Nice car, by the way. Hey, I have a question for you, how does everyone drive around? Do you have an endless supply of gasoline?”

  “Don’t be silly. We don’t drive around that much. We mostly walk, bicycle, or ride horses.”

  “Okay. But still, there’s got to be a finite supply of fuel. When did you last fill this baby up?”

  “Few days ago.” Wink glanced down at her dash. “Will retrofitted a lot of the tanks to take some bio-something sludge.”

  Chester chittered angrily from the backseat.

  “You’re in his spot.”

  “That’s too bad,” Ella said without the slightest hint of remorse. “Hey, what’s with the harness?”

  “Oh, he’s just gotten into wandering off while we’re in town. He knocked over Sal’s bird feeder. He threatened to shoot my Chester if I didn’t restrain him somehow. We’re just doing this until things cool down a bit. Or until Chester learns how to behave.” She shot a dark look at the rodent in the rearview mirror.

  “He said he’d shoot him just for knocking over a bird feeder?”

  Wink was slow to respond. “Well, maybe it had more to do with Chester wandering into his shop and attacking a customer.”

  “He attacked a customer?”

  “It was Lenny Holstein. You ever see Lenny? Hair like a squirrel nest.”

  Ella choked on a laugh. “Chester attacked his head because he thought it was a nest?”

  “That’s my working theory.”

  “That’s hilarious.” She looked back at the squirrel with new appreciation.

  “Sal didn’t think so.”

  They lapsed into a comfortable silence. The rest of the way to Wink’s, Ella considered telling her friend about the suitcase of clothes she’d found in the basement, but every time she opened her mouth, she couldn’t think of the words to start.

  All too soon, the gravel crunched under the car as they pulled into Wink’s driveway. Ella took a deep breath and steeled herself for what was to come.

  “Wow.” Ella couldn’t think of anything else to say so she said it again. “Wow.”

  They stood in Wink’s bedroom. An antique bed with an ornate headboard sat shoved in the corner, like an afterthought, crowded by a nightstand and armoire.

  Fabric of every shade of the rainbow vomited out of Wink’s closet, spilling into the room. It looked as if adding a single sweater would cause the wardrobe to burst.

  “Nearly all of this was before the first flash. So, some of it’s getting a bit frayed around the edges. There’s more in the spare bedroom.”

  “Wow,” Ella repeated a third time. She whistled. “I’m sorry, did you say there’s more?”

  Wink nodded.

  “Wow.”

  “You keep saying that.”

  “Because this… this is just… you could clothe a small country.”

  Ella ran her fingers along the hangers, surprised to see a few elegant dresses in the vein of Rose’s taste.

  “I’ve put the newer stuff here.” Wink pointed at the far end.

  Ella spied too many velour tracksuits in bold colors. One even had the word “Juicy” on the buttocks. It was obvious that this was the side Wink tended to pick from.

  “About seven years back, we flashed into the… 1990’s wasn’t it? When we picked up the Bradfords and Pauline. Anyway, it was some place south, like Texas, and a large truck passed through with a shipment of goods. The driver was heading to a department store. Pulled over to get gas. While he was paying, Six broke in and took a few boxes. Before anyone knew it, the guy left.”

  Ella wasn’t surprised. “How did anyone find out?”

  “Oh, the next time Chapman arrested him, he found the stash. Got the story from him eventually. Wouldn’t you know it? The thief actually stole something useful to the town for a change.”

  Ella looked over the newer outfits with a different perspective.

  An hour later, she was up to her chin in cocktail dresses, blouses, sweaters, and pants. Wink kept insisting she take more, piling tracksuits into Ella’s arms which Ella promptly returned to their slot in the closet. Where they really belonged was in a bonfire with a gallon of gasoline dumped on top, but she refrained from sharing this opinion aloud.

  She was lucky the clothes she’d picked out fit. They were a bit snug in places, but overall, they looked halfway decent on her.

  “If it keeps you from wearing those tight pants—”

  “They’re my runn
ing leggings.” Ella held up the pile in her arms. “We’ll call it an extended loan.”

  After thanking her friend profusely, she asked if she could get a ride back into town. The thought of hiking in the heat with her burden didn’t appeal to her at all.

  “I’m sure Will would give you a ride.”

  Balancing the bundle of clothes with a knee, Ella freed up a hand to swipe hair away from her face. “No, that’s okay.”

  “Why not? He’s just at the professor’s.”

  “He is? How do you know?”

  “Didn’t you notice his pickup in the driveway as we passed?”

  So much for being observant.

  “I’ll call over there, now.”

  “No, Wink, really—”

  But Wink had already retreated down the hallway. With a sigh, Ella trudged into the living room and hefted her new wardrobe onto the couch. After her morning visit with the inventor, she was less than thrilled to see him again.

  Five minutes later, a knock came at the door.

  “Your ride’s here,” Wink called from the kitchen.

  The smell of lasagna wafted into the living room. Ella shot a traitorous look in Wink’s direction before yelling goodbye.

  After gathering her bundle of clothes, she stepped onto the porch, nearly bowling Will over.

  “Sorry,” she muttered.

  They walked to his pickup in silence. Ella wasn’t mad at him, but she also didn’t know where they stood after their morning chat.

  The vehicle wound down the hill. She searched for a way to break the ice.

  “Thanks for the ride,” she said, finally, as they reached the outskirts of Keystone.

  “My pleasure.” Judging by his tone, he seemed relieved to be talking.

  As they passed the sheriff’s station, she leaned forward. “Can you pull over here? I need to see Chapman about something. I’ll walk the rest of the way.”

  “Sure.” His voiced edged with disappointment as he nosed the blue pickup next to the sidewalk.

  Ella unbuckled and hugged the clothes against her. As she reached for the door handle, she paused. “Will? I’m sorry about this morning. It wasn’t until then that I realized I’m having a harder time adjusting than I thought.”

  “I understand. If you ever want to talk, Ella, I’m here for you.”

  She smiled and dipped her chin in acknowledgment. “Thank you. I just might take you up on that offer.”

  “And I’m sorry too. I overreacted because—because I don’t want to lose any more friends.”

  “You won’t. I’m being careful. See?” She nodded at the station. “I’m going to tell Chapman everything.”

  She slipped out of the car and waited for him to drive off, the purr of the motor fading, before she struggled for the door.

  Inside, Ella scanned the musty room for the sheriff.

  A soft, feminine voice spoke. “He’s not here.”

  Rose unfolded from her cot and approached the bars. Her lips were pale, naked of their trademark lipstick. She looked tired and broken.

  Ella shuffled her feet, and she struggled to look the innkeeper in the eye. Part of her still carried guilt about Rose being there, but another part of her remembered the jewelweed and the suitcase of stolen clothes.

  “Rose.” Ella approached, leaving a gap between them.

  A mound of blankets in the cell next door stirred. Six’s dark hair stuck out from one of the folds.

  “He’s asleep,” Rose said.

  Ella let out a breath, feeling her shoulders relax.

  “Do you know where the sheriff went?”

  The innkeeper’s eyebrows rose. “Why? Going to accuse someone else of murder?” Her sweet voice took the bite out of the accusation, but it still stung.

  “Rose, I didn’t—I didn’t know he’d arrest you. I thought he’d ask a couple of questions, get to the bottom of it, and let you go.”

  “So you think I’m innocent?” When Ella didn’t respond, she said, “I see.”

  Rose sauntered back to her cot and flopped on top. Her grimy dress no longer swayed with each step but hung limply around her legs.

  Ella began to second-guess her suspicions. This woman had been nothing but kind and warm, had taken her in and given her shelter.

  “Can I ask you something?” Ella dropped the clothes from Wink onto the sheriff’s desk.

  “Go on.”

  Ella’s eyes flitted to Six before she leaned into the bars. “Why did you cut that jewelweed?”

  Rose let out an exasperated sigh. “To give to Kay, of course. She had a poison oak rash. I cut the leaves and gave them to her. What she did with them after that, I have no idea. But I’ll tell you one thing: it’s a foolish person who would stick stuff in their bodies without knowing what it did. And Kay was no fool.”

  Ella nodded and decided to reveal one of her cards. “Then why is there a suitcase with her clothes in your basement?”

  “What?” Rose’s back stiffened. Her shocked expression appeared genuine.

  She slid off the cot and shuffled closer. This time, Ella didn’t back away.

  “What are you talking about?”

  Ella hesitated a breath then spilled about the evidence in the inn’s basement.

  Deep creases formed in the innkeeper’s forehead, and her hand hovered near her mouth in silent horror. “You mean, they really were having an affair?” She shook her head. “No, my Jimmy would never do such a thing.”

  “Why else would her getaway bag be in your inn?”

  Rose chewed her lip and paced. When she spoke, her voice was small. “Because they were going to run away together. It’s the only explanation that fits.”

  She seemed to shrink before Ella’s eyes. A fat tear rolled down Rose’s cheek, and her lips quivered. Despite everything, Ella’s heart hurt for her. She reached out and curled her hand around Rose’s.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  Rose sobbed silently.

  Ella comforted her the best she could through the bars, all the while, the gears in her head turning. If Jimmy and Kay were going to run away together, what would his motive be for killing her?

  She couldn’t think of one which put him back in the “maybe” category of suspects. Which left Rose and Six.

  The innkeeper seemed genuinely shocked by the affair, taking away her motive. Unless she was the world’s greatest actress, she was also innocent.

  If neither innkeeper was the killer, that left Six. Her gaze wandered to the sleeping lump one cell over.

  “Rose, it’s really important I find the sheriff.”

  Rose’s sobs softened to sniffles, and she dabbed her eyes. “All he said was he had to go out and that he’d be gone for several hours.”

  Several hours?

  “Ella, I need to be alone, if you don’t mind.”

  “Of course.” Ella backed away. “I’m sorry again, Rose. For everything.”

  Rose wiped her sleeve across her face. “I know.”

  Ella trudged back to the inn, her heart as heavy as the clothes in her arms. She’d ruined a couple. Her doubts about marriage was an infection she’d allowed to color her suspicions. Was she so set on the idea of a happy marriage that she’d sabotaged a healthy one?

  It didn’t matter that her suspicions had proven right, or that Jimmy was responsible by his actions. She had definitely had a hand in making the situation worse.

  Maybe when this was all over, and the killer was behind bars, she could mend her frayed friendships, try to repair the damage she’d caused.

  CHAPTER 28

  ELLA TWIRLED ONCE, watching the sundress flare out in the mirror. She felt overdressed for the occasion, but her typical jeans and t-shirt were currently having a spa day in the washing machine. At least she’d fit in better with the local color now.

  Despite the outfit coming from someone twenty-five years her senior, it had style. The zipper pulled at the seams near her mid-section—something she could blame on Wink’s banana bread—but
overall, it fit nicely.

  She managed to detangle her hair and pin it back with a barrette and add a touch of lip gloss.

  Her bare feet stepped across the hardwood floor, and she realized she’d forgotten to borrow shoes. The least sneaker-type shoe she had were a pair of flip-flops she’d packed to pad around her parents’ house.

  They would have to do. At least they were encrusted with cheap jewels. And if Flo gave her a hard time about them, she had several comebacks just sitting in the chamber about the woman’s beehive.

  On Main Street, Keystone residents were already marching towards the white steepled church. Despite the doors and windows being open, the sanctuary felt stuffy. A warm breezed pushed through but did little to abate the heat.

  Across the room, Wink flitted behind one of the long, serving tables that had been set up. Two large glass dishes of homemade lasagna sat on trivets.

  Flo hovered over Wink’s, sniffing at the pasta, and making a face.

  “You put too much oregano in.”

  “Did not.”

  “I can smell it from here.”

  “You’re batty. Now, are you going to zip your trap and help or what?”

  Ella cleared her throat. “Ta-da!”

  Both women looked at her and said, “What?”

  “I’m here.”

  “We see that,” Flo said.

  “Early. I’m here early.”

  “You want a trophy or something?

  “Actually—”

  “Ella, you look wonderful.” Wink corralled her to a spot further down the table, pointing at small pieces of toast she’d baked about the size of a cracker. Immediately, Ella popped one in her mouth, then made it her last after seeing the look on Wink’s face.

  The older woman slowly and deliberately placed a thick slice of smoked gouda on top, followed by a chunk of pear, and finally topped the creation with a drizzle of pineapple salsa.

  Ella found the combination of ingredients strange until she popped the one she’d just assembled in her mouth when Wink wasn’t looking.

  “Oh my gosh,” she hummed around the food. She wiped her mouth as Wink turned back her way.

  “So, you think you can assemble the rest so I can go make the punch?”

  Ella nodded. Even this, she’d have a hard time screwing up. “Did all of these ingredients come from Keystone?”