It wasn’t long until Leo physically appeared on his pillow in the display window.
“Leo, what do you mean you don’t think Roger is the guilty party? Who else do you think it could be?”
I think Beverly was right about Bree Stonehedge. I was checking on Beetle at the bakery to make sure that the cartel hadn’t gotten to him, and I might have accidentally walked into the private office in the back.
“Might have? Accidentally?” I hopped off the stool, knowing full well I wouldn’t be able to share this information with Liam without having a valid reason why I was in possession of such evidence…whatever that evidence may be. “Leo, weren’t you the one who lectured me on the random violation of people’s privacy?”
I also pointed out that there were exceptions…such as Beetle being abducted and tortured by the catnip cartel. I bet they’re a vicious group known for their hideous torture techniques.
“Leo, there is no catnip cartel,” I said in exasperation, wondering just how far he was going to go with this dramatic tale. “Beetle buys your catnip from a pet store in New Haven.”
Leo blinked a few times as he absorbed the truth I’d just blurted out. Trust me, there were times I believed that the coffee I was drinking also had powerful magical properties.
You do realize that is something you could have told me before I believed I was risking my life for a man who thinks I’m overweight and have the appearance of Frankenstein’s feral cat.
I shrugged, ready to admit that I never knew how Leo’s mind worked.
We can come back to that later. Right now, we need to convince the good ol’ sheriff that Bree Stonehedge is the one lighting those fires around town.
“Leo, what did you find in Bree’s office?”
A safe full of cash…stacks of cash. I’m not talking about a few extra five dollar bills, either. There had to be at least several hundred thousand dollars inside with multiple passports. I cracked the case, Raven. I’m a freaking genius!
Chapter Sixteen
IT’S TIME TO bring in the good ol’ sheriff and let him do his own job for once.
“And how am I supposed to steer Liam toward Bree as the arsonist?”
Was Leo right in his assumption that Bree had been embezzling money from her own storefront? She could have a ton of reasons for keeping that much cash on hand in her safe. The passports gave me pause, but I’m sure someone would find the way I ran things here at the shop a bit odd, too. There were still things that didn’t add up, though, and I did agree with Leo that the situation warranted more investigating.
A safe full of cash and multiple passports. What more evidence do you need?
“Maybe Bree is saving the money for a reason, and you said yourself that you didn’t see whose pictures were inside the passports,” I pointed out, pulling out the white garbage bag from the small trashcan next to the sampling table. “It could be her family’s passports. Maybe she keeps everyone’s documents locked up for safekeeping.”
It was four-forty, and I was very tempted to close up early. I still had to prepare a Valentine’s Day dinner for Liam and make myself presentable, as well as hide all the tangible evidence that I practiced witchcraft at home. Oh, and I needed to make sure the grimoire was tucked away in its own special drawer inside the coffee table. One that couldn’t be opened by anyone who wasn’t of the family bloodline.
Just so you know, both of Bree’s parents are dead.
“Oh, that’s so sad,” I exclaimed, sympathy building up for the bakery shop’s owner. My mother might drive me crazy at times, but I couldn’t imagine not having her here with me. “That makes what we’re accusing her of even worse. What’s to say that Bree just couldn’t bring herself to destroy their passports? Leo, we’ve learned time and time again that things aren’t always what they seem.”
I’m pretty sure we assumed correctly that you were to blame when half the town was seeing floating hearts.
I remained silent as I drew the navy blue strings closed so that the garbage bag was easier to carry toward the back room. There was no obvious approach for me to give Liam the lead to catching the Paramour Bay arsonist without revealing my little witchcraft secret. It was best I leave well enough alone tonight and come up with a plan tomorrow to find a spell to prove Bree’s involvement. Now that we had a suspect, maybe I could use some type of divination spell to prove her guilt.
Well, when you put it like that…the reader will think we’re awful people.
“You’re a cat, Leo,” I muttered, parting the ivory-colored fairy beads so that I could reach the seldom used back door. Flipping the deadbolt, the cold hit me with a force. I was only taking the trash out to the bigger bin, so I didn’t bother with a jacket. “Oh! Hi, Sam.”
Sam?
Oh, yes. Sam, the young and innocent-looking teenager, stood next to the malt shop’s trashcan. It had been clear that he’d been rummaging through the contents. He’d shot straight up so fast that he almost slipped on a slick spot.
Hmphf. Reminds me of you.
Leo hadn’t bothered to conceal his presence. He was sitting on his haunches taking in the exchange before him just inside the doorway where I’d left the heavy door open.
“Ms. Marigold!” Sam attempted to smile, when it was more than clear he’d been caught in the act of…well, I wasn’t sure what he’d been doing in the garbage. “Here. Let me get that for you.”
My fingers immediately released the white trash bag when he took it from my hand, more because I had become rather cautious of his motives.
Didn’t you say he had an innocent smile?
I did, and I also trusted my instincts. The palm of my hand remained cool as Sam lifted the lid to the metal garbage can alongside the brick wall.
“A wise woman knows when to change her mind,” I muttered, pasting a smile on my face when Sam turned back after throwing the small trash bag into my garbage can. “You look concerned, Sam. Is everything okay?”
Sam shifted back and forth on his running shoes, as if he were debating whether or not to bare his soul. It was more than evident that something was bothering him. Unfortunately, Bonnie appeared in the back doorway of the malt shop.
It’s like a convention of misfits.
“Sam, the computer is still down,” Bonnie complained, giving me a quick wave and dismissive glance. “You’re going to have to tell Cora that we won’t be able to print those receipts today. I’ll go ahead and make the nightly deposit at the bank before they close while you lock up the shop.”
Oh, Beetle won’t be too happy to hear that. This delay is going to cost me my daily catnip, isn’t it? Those computers are going to be the death of me.
“I thought Roger dropped off the bank deposits?” I’m not sure why I blurted out that question, but it had fallen off my lips before I’d even realized I’d spoken. My attempt to appear disconcerted by my nosiness fell flat. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to overstep. It’s just that I heard Beetle mention it the other day.”
You’re getting as bad as Elsie and Wilma.
“Well, Roger has been out with the flu,” Bonnie said with a bit of irritation, not that I blamed her. It wasn’t any of my business who made the nightly deposits for the malt shop. “This is the third day he’s called off.”
Interesting. I guess it wasn’t Roger who wanted to visit Cancun, after all. Who knew that Bonnie was the type of person to hang out with scaly lizards?
Sam gave me a small shrug before turning on his running shoes and once again stepping on the slick spot that had almost landed him on the ground the first time around. He went down like a ton of bricks.
Mother Nature 1…Sam 0.
I was the first to reach Sam, leaning down to make sure he hadn’t hit his head on the cement. He was wincing and groaning in pain.
“Are you okay?” I asked, wondering why Bonnie hadn’t joined me in trying to help Sam to his feet. Honestly, it was usually me who ended up on the ground and needed a little TLC. I wouldn’t ever wish harm on anyone,
but it was kind of nice not being the one to draw attention. “Here. Let me help you up.”
“I think I broke my ankle,” Sam complained with a grimace, sitting up enough to grab his foot.
Raven, it looks as if you’re going to have to cancel your dinner plans and take Sam to the hospital. I wish I could take the credit, but good for Sam for stopping a mistake in the making. Just how were you going to explain that coffee table and all the hidden locked drawers? Your date is in law enforcement. It’s in the man’s nature to be curious. Oh, well. It’s better this way.
“The bank closes in ten minutes,” Bonnie complained in an unusual manner. She’d always struck me as sympathetic, but at the moment…impatience ruled. She shifted on her feet, and her agitation had nothing to do with the cold. “Sam, try to stand. I’m sure it’s just a sprain.”
She’s one of those “rub some dirt on it” kind of gals.
It didn’t escape my notice that the palm of my hand had begun to tingle. Something wasn’t right with this situation, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on the problem.
I’m pretty sure it’s because you just set your hand down on some ice for a bit of balance.
“I’m sure Cora will understand why the nightly deposit didn’t get made under the circumstances, Bonnie,” I exclaimed, ignoring Leo as I tried to make sure I didn’t also go down in a heap next to Sam. Couldn’t Bonnie see that it was going to take the both of us to shift Sam off the ice and to his feet? “Do you think you could help?”
I didn’t mean to come across as rude, but was it too much to ask for a bit of compassion? Bonnie audibly sighed her resentment for being made to stay later than she’d apparently wanted to on this Valentine’s Day.
Did you ever think that Bonnie has a date with Billy? You might not be the only one with a hot date lined up for Hallmark’s favorite holiday, Cupid.
“What on earth is going on here?”
I should have commenced a drumroll upon your nemesis’ entrance into this vaudevillian scene. In my defense, I didn’t know Cora would be the spoiler in this chapter.
By this time, both Bonnie and I were struggling to get Sam to his feet. It wasn’t easy, and Sam’s inability to bear weight made the progress even more difficult. Cora was already halfway to us when by happenstance a brochure with a rather large green iguana fell out of Sam’s apron and spiraled in the cold air until it gently landed at the tips of Cora’s dress boots.
All of us stood there quietly staring down at the…
Evidence. It’s okay to accept that the one most unlikely person in this scenario is the guilty party. Happens all the time in those best-selling mystery books.
Sam?
He was only nineteen years old.
How could someone so young have pulled off stealing from a business while at the same time hiding plans to leave town?
I’ll say it—he was always such a quiet boy. Do you think I’ll get interviewed for the Paramour Bay Gazette? Even better, the mayor may finally give me a key to the town.
“It’s not what it looks like,” Sam exclaimed in innocence as Cora leaned down to pick up the travel brochure. Bonnie stepped to the side, leaving me the only leverage for which Sam had left to stand. “I didn’t steal anything from you, Mrs. Barnes!”
That’s what they all say.
I have to admit that I was taken aback by how easily Sam would deny being guilty of a crime, all because of an innocent little brochure. No one had accused anyone of anything at this point, yet he was claiming innocence before there had been any finger pointing.
“Steal? It was you all along? How could you do this to me, Sam?” Cora asked in disappointment, clearly making the same connections that I had with regard to the fires. “All for a Caribbean vacation? Stealing money from the shop is one thing, but those fires could have really hurt someone.”
Oh, well. It looks like the good ol’ sheriff is going to be busy with a lot of paperwork tonight. What shall we have for dinner, Raven? I was thinking of marinated salmon grilled to perfection with a sauce made of pasted anchovies.
“I didn’t set any fires, Mrs. Barnes,” Sam denied emphatically, hopping slightly when I shifted my weight to pull my cell phone out of my skirt pocket.
Leo had a point about calling Liam, though that didn’t mean our dinner plans would be ruined…just pushed back a little. I still found it rather odd that I hadn’t sensed any threat coming from Sam when I’d first come out to the alleyway.
“Sam, how could you?” Bonnie shook her head in disappointment when Sam began to protest even more. “I thought something odd was going on with you lately, but this?”
I had programmed Liam’s cell phone into mine, designating him a favorite. It didn’t take me long to find the right screen, so all I had to do was press the button.
There’s a twist coming, isn’t there?
“Raven?” a sweet voice called out, causing all of our gazes to swing to where Leo was still sitting just inside the threshold. His tail twitched and he bared the longer fang as a pretty woman with long chestnut colored hair appeared behind him. “I’m Bree Stonehedge. I was hoping to speak with you about your expansion into coffee. Um, is everything okay out here?”
Dun dun dun! I’ve always wanted to do that!
I wasn’t exactly sure what Leo was leading up to with his imitation of the scary movie reveal, but I was certain that we all appeared rather odd to Bree with everyone glaring at Sam with disappointment and me struggling to keep him upright.
“Aunt Bree?” Sam called out, practically sagging even farther into me with relief, but all I could do was a double take.
Aunt Bree?
Ahhhh, I knew there was something I forgot to tell you. They’re related.
Chapter Seventeen
“WHAT EXACTLY IS going on here?” Bree asked in confusion, taking in the small gathering of people before her. She frowned with concern. “Sam, did you hurt yourself?”
Don’t trust this woman, Raven. She has a safe full of cash, multiple passports, and a nephew who could easily have been the arsonist to help save his aunt from a lifetime spent behind bars. Orange appears to be her color, after all. Liam could probably book them under the RICO Act. It’s a huge criminal conspiracy, you know.
A quick look informed me that Bree was wearing what I’d call a burnt orange colored scarf with her black wool dress coat. There was something off with this entire scenario, though. I needed to encourage everyone to move inside and call Liam immediately.
“They think I started the fires, but I didn’t,” Sam protested, hopping on one foot toward his aunt and not giving me a choice but to go with him. “I think it’s Bonnie or maybe even Roger.”
And the twists keep coming. Poor Roger is down with the flu, and he’s being thrown under the bus as a sacrificial lamb. Hmmm. Lamb. That might be nice, with some mint sauce.
Don’t worry, dear reader. I would never allow Leo to hurt a cute little lamb.
“What?” Cora and Bonnie both exclaimed in unison, although for very different reasons. I couldn’t imagine trusting someone enough to help run the tea shop, going so far as to give them a management title, only to have them steal from the profits. “Bonnie, is this true?”
Shouldn’t the good ol’ sheriff be dealing with this kind of situation? I need to find us a lamb to roast.
“No, it’s not true,” Bonnie cried out, her eyes instantly filling with tears. She rested a hand on her chest in dismay, clearly stressed by such an accusation. “How could you think I would do something like that, Sam? Is that why you were acting so odd all day?”
Those tears do look real, and Sam does appear a bit guilty. But we can’t forget about Bree…and her safe full of cash. Do you realize how much catnip I could buy with that pile of money? Think of all the benefits—you could fire Beetle, I could still maintain my genius-level IQ, and you can drink as much coffee as you want. I’m telling you that this a win-win situation all around.
I had a feeling that this was no-win s
ituation. Someone was going to lose, because it was only a matter of time before the truth came out. As it stood, we were all way too close in proximity for my comfort level, so there was only one thing to do. I pressed the button on my display next to Liam’s name.
Oh, good. You can tell him that dinner plans are cancelled.
Liam answered on the first ring, but there was no way that I was going to cancel our evening. I still had hope that this could all be resolved quickly.
Just remember page number three hundred and twenty-six in the grimoire. Trust me, you’ll need it.
“We have a bit of a problem over here, Liam,” I informed him after he’d sweetly asked if I’d run out of coffee. “It’s about the fires and possibly theft. Could you come over to the tea shop? We’ll all be waiting.”
Why can’t you all go over to the malt shop? I’m all sleuthed out, and I don’t want to people anymore.
It had been best to clue Liam in that I wasn’t alone here at the shop. Leo didn’t want to hear this, but there was quite a bit more sleuthing to be done. We technically hadn’t solved the mystery of who had been setting the fires, especially with all this finger pointing.
Honestly, I don’t know which direction to look at the moment.
“Cora, do you think you could handle this?” Bonnie asked as she glanced down at her watch that had more colors in it than my peacock skirt. “I might be able to talk Nora at the bank into taking the nightly deposit seeing as it’s only a couple of minutes past five.”
I could totally visualize her as the Bonnie in a Bonnie and Clyde scenario. No one in their right mind would cast Sam as Clyde, though. Hmmmm. We do have more sleuthing to do. I can’t have the afterlife believing I neglected my duties.
“No one is going anywhere until you all speak with Liam,” I said assertively, indicating with a nod that Cora and Bonnie should go ahead of me and Sam. Truthfully, I didn’t want to let anyone out of my sight, but Sam’s inability to walk on his own had me slowing down just a bit. “Cora, you should call Desmond.”
Charming Blend (A Paramour Bay Cozy Paranormal Mystery Book 5) Page 13
