Reassured, Jazzi nodded and concentrated on driving.
Daisy just hoped her logic was correct.
* * *
The following day, Daisy and her aunt Iris exchanged a look at the sales counter and high-fived each other with large grins. The last of the tour bus visitors had exited the tea garden to catch their ride home. The onslaught of sightseers was always good for business, but a tea blogger had once knocked the tea garden down a notch for service, writing that they needed more help. Since then, Foster had garnered more hours in preparation for his new job of husband and father, though he was still trying to keep up with his studies at Millersville University. Out of school, Jazzi and Vi were helping too.
Daisy glanced at the almost empty case. “I’ll pull more cookies and apple bread from the walk-in.”
“See if there are any more cherry tarts. We’ve been running out of them every day,” her aunt reminded her.
“Will do. I suppose we’ll have to keep making a double batch of them since they’re so popular.”
Violet, who had come up to the sales counter, heard them talking. Her daughter’s medium brown hair had blond highlights, but she hadn’t renewed the practice since she’d been pregnant. Her morning sickness, which had turned into all-day sickness at the beginning of her pregnancy, had gotten better. But today she looked tired. She had dark circles under her eyes, and Daisy suspected she wasn’t sleeping because of this high-stress time. Last night she’d heard her daughter come downstairs in the middle of the night. The low whistle of the teapot had alerted her. The rooibos canister where Daisy kept the tea in her pantry was still on the counter this morning. She’d hoped the brew had helped Vi sleep.
Obviously overhearing Daisy’s conversation with her aunt, Vi said, “I was hoping we could take cherry tarts home. I know Karina put three back for herself to take along tonight. Can we do that? Maybe four?”
Karina’s food gathering in the evenings had continued. “Of course we can.” After a pause, she asked Vi, “Has Karina told you why she takes along the baked goods?”
Vi shook her head and brushed her shoulder-length hair behind both ears. “No, she doesn’t really talk to me like she used to. When she came in today I thought she looked upset, so I asked her if something was wrong. She insisted it wasn’t.”
Pushing thoughts of Karina aside for now, Daisy studied Vi more thoroughly. “Do you want to leave early? You look tired.”
“No, I’m good. I’m putting the money that I earn together for a crib. Gavin wanted to find us a used one, but I’d like one new thing for the baby.”
Daisy could understand that. “Standards on children’s furniture change from year to year, too, so putting your money into the crib is wise. Maybe you can consider the kind that transforms into a day bed for when the baby is ready for his own bed.”
“Or her own bed,” Vi joked. “I know some moms want to be surprised, but Foster and I can’t wait to learn the sex of the baby. At twenty weeks, we’ll have the ultrasound and then we’ll know.”
Iris jumped into the conversation now. “Just remember, honey, I want to be your major babysitter.”
“You might have to wrestle Gran for that job.”
“Guess who would win?” Iris returned with a wink.
Daisy’s aunt Iris and her mom didn’t always see eye to eye. They had very different personalities. Where her aunt was a listener, accepting, and nonjudgmental, Daisy’s mom was the opposite. Rose Gallagher liked to share her opinion before anyone asked for it. Daisy had lived under her mom’s critical eye all her life, and her aunt Iris had always been her ally. Daisy and her own sister Camellia had very different personalities too. Their mother and Camellia usually stood firm together. As she was growing up, Daisy had often felt like the odd girl out. Thinking about that again, Daisy realized that conclusion wasn’t completely true because her dad had always stood in her corner. At least it seemed that way.
Vi snapped her fingers. “Pregnancy hormones are affecting my memory. Tessa wants to know if she should put the rum raisin rice pudding on the menu for tomorrow. Something about needing more eggs from your supplier if you do.”
“I’ll talk to her. I can call Rachel Fisher and see if she has any extra eggs. I could stop on my way home and pick them up.”
“Or I could stop for them,” Iris said. “You have enough to do with getting the apartment ready for Vi and Foster along with wedding plans.”
Her aunt was right about her to-do list. It seemed to grow longer instead of shorter each day. “I’d appreciate that,” she said. “Let me talk to Tessa.”
That afternoon on the way to the kitchen, Karina waylaid Daisy outside the office. “Can I speak to you for a minute?”
“Sure. Do you want to go into my office?”
“No, that’s not necessary.”
Daisy’s gaze slid over Karina. Her hair was shorter, so she must have gotten it trimmed, and the purple was brighter. Her neon green clogs peeked out from the hem of the white slacks. Her yellow apron with the daisy logo seemed to complement Karina’s personality. She looked like a colorful garden.
Daisy waited, knowing that if Karina didn’t want to go into her office, then she didn’t have anything serious to discuss.
“I need to leave around four instead of five. Is that okay?”
Even though the tourists from the tour bus had left, the tea room was still filled with customers. However, when her employees needed time off, she usually complied, knowing they had responsibilities and errands outside the tea garden. “Do you need to pick up Quinn early from day care?”
Karina didn’t answer right away. Finally, she responded, “No, but I have an errand to run before I pick her up. This is important, Daisy. Honest, it is.”
There was vehemence in Karina’s voice, and maybe something else.
“You can leave early today. We can cover for you. Will you be here for your regular shift tomorrow?”
“I’ll be here on time and I’ll stay for my whole shift,” Karina promised.
“Sounds good. Some day when you’re not working, you’ll have to bring Quinn in for a visit.”
“She talks a mile a minute,” Karina said with a smile, and checked her watch. “I’d better get going. Thanks again, Daisy . . . for understanding.”
Daisy watched her server as Karina left the tea garden. She had the sense that Karina was hiding something. Just what could it be?
Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches Page 26
