1 Chocolate Worth Dying For

by Pat Amsden

  She smiled at them and popped the truffle in her mouth. An expression of pure bliss transformed her face. "This is heavenly," she said.

  Gesturing with her hands for them to stop she savoured the last of the truffle. "Give me a minute. I'll call upstairs and let Kath know you're on the way. She won't want to miss these."

  Maxine and Ellie looked at one another. "See. I told you those chocolates would open doors for you," Grandma Ellie said knowingly.

  "Just as long as it's not a jail cell," Maxine said under her breath.

  "Really Maxine. Don't even think that way," her grandma scolded her as they made their way upstairs. Kathleen Sullivan was coming out of her office as they started in the direction of the mayor's office.

  She looked at them and Maxine saw a flash of recognition. She looked as if she were ready to turn and head in the opposite direction as fast as her feet could carry her. Maxine stepped forward.

  "Kathleen Sullivan?"

  The woman stopped. "Yes. Is there something I could do for you?" Her expression was anything but welcoming.

  "You were at Ron Vandemeers funeral weren't you?"

  Kathleen looked defiant. "He was a good friend. I wanted to show my respect."

  "We all did," Maxine said simply. "But you seemed so upset…"

  Kathleen said sharply. "He was a good friend to me. And I didn't expect…." She broke off looking upset. "I've said too much already."

  "We're just here giving out samples of our chocolates. Business has been a little slow lately."

  "Yes, I can imagine," Kathleen said, her voice clipped. "If you leave me a brochure I'll make sure the mayor sees it. We get sandwich trays in sometimes for council meetings and …" she shook her head. "I'll see if there's anything we can use your catering for. After all it wasn't your fault…"

  "Somehow I don't see you as being to blame either," she said softly. "If you want to talk I'd be happy to have coffee with you sometime or…"

  Kathleen shook her head. "We were just friends. There's nothing to talk about."

  "Still. If you decide you'd like to."

  "You're too kind," Kathleen said, taking the brochure. But her voice said she didn't think anything of the sort. Her voice said she wanted to be left alone.

  "It's so difficult to lose someone you love," Ellie said, looking almost as sad as if she herself had experienced Ron's death in this matter.

  "We were friends, that's all," Kathleen said firmly, a hint of anger in her voice. "For you to suggest otherwise…"

  "Oh my dear, I wouldn't dream of suggesting anything improper," Ellie said. "But clearly you had deep feelings for him. I mean it was obvious to anyone who saw you at the funeral…"

  Kathleen's' cheeks flushed pink. "I, I over-reacted. "He's been so good to me." She led them down a small highway and into a large office area. A plaque on the desk showed her name. "We weren't having an affair. But he's been an important mentor to me. See, I'm trying to develop my own business – but I'm not quite ready to give up this job until I have a few more clients. Ron, well he was just – so helpful to me. I'd never have gotten as far as I have. And then… when he was…killed." Her lips quivered dangerously. "It's just so unfair. He never did anything to hurt anyone."

  "There, there," Ellie said putting her tray of fruit down.

  "I know some people seem to think he was trying to force them out of their homes for his new development," Maxine said.

  "You've been talking to that Bernice haven't you?" she said angrily. "Ron never did anything but try to help her."

  "Perhaps," Maxine said. "But it sounds as if there have been a lot of accidents on that street lately. And they do seem to have closed down right now."

  "Ron was looking into some of the accusations. He thought it was strange too. But he didn't have anything to do with it! I don't know why they've stopped construction. Ron said there was lots of money."

  "So you talked about it," Maxine said frowning.

  "We were talking about business in general," she said impatiently. "He said it was important to make sure you were properly capitalized. That's why so many businesses had a problem when the recession came. They were over-extended. He said it wasn't worth it." She spread her hands out "so I really can't see…"

  "Of course not," Ellie said. "We'll leave you be. Did you want us to leave the fruit tray here or…"

  "You can leave them there," Kathleen said hastily, pointing to a side table. "I'll put them in the staff room for staff to sample on their breaks."

  They were only too aware of her, watching them as they made their way out of city hall.

  "Well, that wasn't much help," Maxine said glumly as they got back in her car.

  "I'm not so sure," Grandma Ellie said sharply. "Whether she had an affair with him or not she certainly seemed more broken up than a casual acquaintance. And it sounds as if he talked about what was happening to Bernice and her neighbours. So if he wasn't behind it, who was?"

  "Rick Dodd?" Maxine said questioningly.

  "Maybe he was funneling money out and Ron knew nothing about it."

  "And Ron found out?"

  "Maybe not soon enough if they're closing down construction," Grandma Ellie said triumphantly.

  "But how do we prove it?"

  "You worked in banking for how many years?" Ellie said pointedly.

  "I can make a few inquiries," Maxine said. "But if I could just go over people's accounts whenever I wanted to I'd have long since checked out Tracey Vandemeer and a few other of the key suspects."

  "I wonder if the police have?"

  "Maybe I can talk to Patrick," Maxine said. Then she shot Ellie a look. "But not right now. We have to go over to Bernice's and check on how Heath and the crew are doing."

  "Any news of when Bernice will be getting out?"

  Maxine sighed. "That's just the thing. I think they'd release her now if she had someone to look after her. I talked to the social worker briefly and I think they were a little worried about her condition. So I promised I'd get the place cleaned up." She looked at Ellie. "I was hoping you could help me with finding resources out in the community."

  "Meals on wheels, maybe," Ellie said thoughtfully. "And I could help with getting her place organized."

  Maxine breathed a sigh of relief. "I was hoping you might."

  "Consider it done," Ellie said. "But that means you have to let me help you solve this case."

  "Grandma."

  "Well. I'm good at being a sleuth." Grandma Ellie smiled gleefully. "No one expects a little old lady to have much going on."

  "I just don't want to see you hurt," Maxine said seriously.

  "Oh, and I'm supposed to just sit there and let people mess with my granddaughter?"

  "I don't think anyone's doing anything to me really. I just happen to be the one catering when something bad happens," she said sighing.

  "Which isn't exactly a boon for your business. As far as I'm concerned they're messing with my granddaughter and I'm not going to stand for it."

  Maxine looked at her in alarm. "Promise me you're not going to go vigilante on me if we find anything. Anything at all," she said firmly underscoring her words.

  "I promise," Ellie said.

  Somehow it didn't entirely reassure Maxine. She pulled into the driveway of Bernice's house. The lawn was filled with stuff that appeared to be roughly, very roughly, sorted into three piles.

  "What's this?" she said getting out and going over to where Heath was.

  "You said to organize it into piles for Bernice to decide what she wanted to do with them. That's what we're doing."

  "But … what if it rains," she wailed. "I didn't mean outside. We don't even know for sure when she's going to be allowed to come home."

  Heath nodded grimly. "About that. I went and saw her at noon. Just to see how she was doing."

  "And?"

  "We've got to get this place ready for her to come home or she may end up in long term care. They won't release her home until there's an ins
pection made and the hospital social worker stopped me on the way out to say she thinks long-term care is where Bernice should be."

  Maxine winced. "Does Bernice know?"

  "Know?" Heath looked at her indignantly. "Her housekeeping may leave a lot to be desired but she's no dummy. She was ranting about keeping people against their will and having rights when I walked in."

  Ellie closed her eyes. "Poor Bernice. I know friends of mine who have gone through the same type of thing. Sometimes getting old feels like you lose all the rights most people just take for granted."

  "I'm sure that's not the hospital's intention."

  "And Bernice may not be able to stay on her own," Ellie said smartly. "But it's still hard for anyone to face that loss of independence, of freedom."

  "She'll have a lot better chance if we get everything cleaned up for her before she's due to be released. That way if someone comes out to inspect it there won't be any problem."

  Ellie cast an eye over the piles of stuff. "Did you actually throw out anything?"

  Heath gave a sigh. "No. That's why we've got three piles. So we don't accidentally throw out something important to her." He looked thoroughly frustrated as did Marcus and Ally.

  "That's what we asked," Maxine said stepping in. "And it looks as if you've done a wonderful job. So how did you decide which to put in which pile?"

  Ally stepped forward. "That was my idea. See she's got some stuff she hasn't even opened up the bags or boxes for. I really don't know why she bought them but anyway I thought maybe we could resell some of those. I have a friend who has a second hand store that said she could stop by later and look at it.

  Then there's pictures and stuff that obviously have sentimental value even if they're not in photo albums so we put those in a second pile. Along with baby clothes and children's toys. We thought probably they were from when her children was young." She hesitated for a moment. "There's a whole pile of men's clothes. Everything from a suit and tie to worn out jeans and work shirts. Those are probably her husbands but I thought he'd been dead for a while."

  Ellie sighed. "That may be but she hasn't been able to let them go. She may not have a choice now but let me talk to her when she gets home. Maybe we can do something to preserve the memories without having to have every item of clothing he ever wore kept indefinitely."

  Maxine looked at her grandma Ellie. "You really think you can talk her into that?"

  "I don't know," Ellie said simply. "It's hard losing someone you love." For a moment she seemed lost in time, remembering her own husband, her own loss. Maxine yearned to be able to take away the hurt both for her grandma and for Bernice. But no one could stop the passage of time.

  "For now," Ellie said firmly. "We'll put them back in the closet when it's cleaned out.

  "And the third pile?" Maxine asked.

  "Junk, pure and simple," Marcus said." Everything from worn out dishrags and old pots and pans to used plastic bags and paper towels. No way you can say they've got sentimental value."

  "Good. We can get those hauled away then," Maxine said, relieved. "How's the house?"

  "We're washing down the walls in the living room and bedroom." Heath said.

  I've already vacuumed and I thought we'd rent a steam-cleaner as soon as we've finished the walls." Marcus said.

  She looked at the three of them. They looked exhausted. "Have you had a break yet today?

  They shook their heads. Heath stepped forwards. "But if we can steam-clean the carpets tonight and get them cleaned we can get Bernice back home sooner."

  Maxine shook her head, tears coming to her eyes. "It's too much. I can't pay you for this."

  "We volunteered," they said in unison. Marcus shrugged. "She kinda reminds me of my own gran. One day. It's no big deal."

  Ally stepped forward. "Really. We just want her to be able to stay in her own home."

  Maxine felt herself tearing up. "All right. If you're willing we'll get everything ready for her to come home."

  It was midnight before they had the rugs cleaned and everything back in place that could be put back before the carpets dried Ellie was at the kitchen table going through photographs. What good that would do, Maxine had no idea.

  Chapter Nine

  Maxine cleaned the spotless display case filled with chocolates once again. Not that there was much point to it. The display case remained untouched much like the chocolates within.

  Gorgeous glossy chocolates filled with rich creams, caramels and nuts. Along with her English toffee bars rolled in almonds, peanut butter cups and marshmallow bars made from freshly made marshmallow. Lazy turtles lay unloved along with Wobbly walruses and Otter loves.

  Even the tourists seemed to be staying away in droves since Rae-Ann's death. She sighed deeply. They couldn't continue like this. And she didn't know what to do to change things around. So she was almost happy to see Wendy Carr approaching her shop, teetering on high heels and carrying a large tote out of which peeked her little dog Toto's head.

  Normally she would have reminded her that pets were not allowed in the shop. Health regulations and all. But today she chose to bend the rules reluctant to throw out the only living, breathing customer without at least hearing what it was she wanted. Besides as long as Wendy kept Toto in his carrier she really couldn't see what harm he could do.

  "Hi Wendy."

  Wendy smiled at her. It was a brittle smile, but a smile none the less. "I just came in for….a cup of coffee and one of your delicious chocolates." She seemed nervous and ill at ease as she looked at the various chocolates displayed before settling on a vanilla cream.

  She took a seat in the corner away from the window overlooking the water. Maxine eyed her dog, Toto, in the carrier bag. At home she loved nothing more than to borrow her neighbors' chocolate lab and take him for a walk. She'd have loved to get her own but reasoned working such long hours would be unfair to any pet she chose to have. However the last thing she needed right now was to be shut down for allowing a dog in her chocolate shop.

  Wendy placed the bag on a chair, sheltering Toto with her body and stopped briefly to pet him and talk doggy talk , "well, you are just the best behaved little doggy, yes you are. And Mommy's got a treat for you. Yes she does. What does Mommy have for you?" From out of nowhere seemingly Wendy pulled a small dog biscuit and Toto gave a small, sharp yip. And then blessedly, dog biscuit in mouth she dropped down and out of sight, the better to enjoy her biscuit.

  Wendy looked up. "I know this is unusual. And I apologize for bringing Toto but I did want to speak to you and…" she glanced around the shop briefly, "I hoped you could make an exception just this once."

  Maxine sighed. "I love dogs but rules are rules. Just this once I don't think it will hurt though."

  Wendy smiled. "I knew you could be reasonable. Do you have a minute to talk?"

  "Always," Maxine said, joining Wendy at the small table.

  Wendy drummed her fingers nervously on the table while Maxine waited, patiently. Whatever this was had to be good. This was a Wendy she'd never seen before.

  "You're trying to find Rae-Ann's killer aren't you?" she finally blurted out.

  Maxine shot her a surprised look. "Along with the police, of course."

  "I talked to the police. They don't take me seriously," Wendy said impatiently. "I'm hoping maybe you will."

  "Are you saying you know who killed Rae-Ann?" Maxine leaned forward.

  "Not for sure. But I think she'd found something out. I just, I wanted them to check it out but they didn't want to listen to anything I had to say." She reached into her purse and pulled out a small notebook.

  Small enough to fit in a purse it was a common, garden variety notebook, black in color, with absolutely nothing to make it stand out. Wendy, however, was viewing it as if it were the lost treasure of Atlantis.

  "Rae-Ann's?" Maxine said hazarding a guess.

  Wendy nodded. "The one she was carrying the day she died."

  "But how do you have it?"
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  "She was looking at it just before she went to the washroom. She started to show me something, Arnold started talking and so she left it out. Then she went to the washroom." Wendy's eyes started to tear up. "She was my best friend. I have to know who did this!"

  Maxine reached out covering her hand with her own as Toto popped her head up. "Of course you do. We all do. But is there anything in there that…"

  Wendy shook her head. "I can't see anything. That's why I'm giving it to you. I thought maybe you could."

  "You really should have given it to the police," Maxine said even as she felt a rush of adrenaline. She held the book in her hands trying not to appear too excited.

  "I mentioned it to them. They didn't seem interested and Bill doesn't want me involved. You're my only hope." There was a forlorn tone to her voice which tugged at Maxine's heart.

  "I'll look at it and see if there's anything," Maxine said, trying to sound as if she wasn't excited and failing miserably. This book could be the key. "Did you see anything that seemed odd?"

  "Nothing," Wendy said. "Unless she was giving me a coded message with the grocery list."

  Maxine laughed but it was a hollow sound. Nobody deserved to be killed as Rae-Ann had been. And while she'd never been overly fond of Wendy she knew her emotions today were real. She'd lost a friend and she was hurting.

  She gently took the plain black notebook in her hands. "I'll take good care of this. I promise," she said softly. "Has a date been set, for …"

  "Rae-Ann's funeral?" Wendy said. "It's next Wednesday. I would've thought you'd know."

  "It's really only been a few days and I didn't want to pry. I – how's David doing?"

  Tears started to run down Wendy's cheeks while Toto struggled to get out of his bag, giving yips of frustration at not being able to get to his mistress sooner. Maxine bent down and freed him, setting him in Wendy's lap where he feverishly started licking at her face.

  She gave a strangled sob-laugh, "it's OK Toto. Mommies' OK." She petted him and he snuggled into her literally quivering in relief. She looked up at Maxine as she grabbed a Kleenex box from behind the counter and re-joined them.