The Diva Cooks up a Storm

by Krista Davis

  “I call dibs on Sophie’s second-floor guest room,” Nina announced. “I’m not sleeping alone without lights.”

  I grinned. So like Nina. I didn’t tease her, though, because I welcomed the company. There was something a little spooky about being home alone in pitch-black darkness.

  Francie snorted. “What’s to be scared of? Good thing you didn’t live one hundred years ago, Nina.”

  “Thank heaven,” said Nina. “I like my creature comforts. What’s for dessert?”

  I set the blueberry pie on the table. “It’s times like this when I’m very glad I have a gas stove. Would anyone like coffee or hot tea?”

  Everyone except Kelsey and I voted for an after-dinner drink. Carrying candles, Nina and I retrieved cordial glasses from the dining room, along with a bottle of raspberry liqueur.

  In the shadowy light, I observed Kelsey and wondered how she felt about being alone in the dark. If, heaven forbid, it had been Mars who died, I would have wanted to be alone with my sorrow. I wouldn’t have cared about the driving rain and darkness around me. I might have even felt they reflected my mood. But I suspected that not everyone would react that way.

  “Kelsey, will you be okay by yourself tonight?” I asked.

  She looked up from her pie. “I think so.”

  Nina pulled out her cell phone and poked around on it. “Maybe the power won’t be out for long. I’ll see if I can pull up any information.”

  Francie sipped her liqueur. “Have you notified Hollis’s relatives yet?”

  Kelsey released a faint gasp. “Cindy!” she hissed. “She hates me! I guess it would be impolite to text her, but their son needs to know about his dad.”

  I could just imagine what a nightmare that call would be. “Did Hollis have any siblings?”

  “They came to the wedding and were very nice to me.” She covered her eyes with her fingers for a few seconds. “I was so self-absorbed and in shock, I guess, that I didn’t even think about anyone else. His parents are deceased. I’ll have to call Parker at the law firm, too, to let them know. I don’t know what to do first.”

  I jotted down Humphrey’s name and the name of the funeral home where he worked. “You should probably contact Humphrey as soon as possible. That way when the autopsy is over, you’ll be ready.”

  Even in the dim light of the candles I saw her blanch. Given the way news traveled in Old Town, I had a feeling Parker and Cindy already knew. But maybe the storm had distracted people and slowed the news of Hollis’s demise.

  “I can walk you home,” offered Mars. “Maybe Sophie will lend us some umbrellas.”

  Nina looked up from her phone. “I’m trying to get the electric company website, but nothing’s happening. I can’t even get Google. It’s like we’ve been cut off from the world!”

  Francie guffawed. “I concede that I do appreciate electricity, but there’s something very peaceful about reading a book by lantern. It’s so quiet. It’s as though the rest of the world vanishes and one merges into the story.”

  “You can do the same with an electric light,” Nina pointed out, sounding a bit testy.

  Francie insisted on going to her own home next door and acted offended when I offered to walk with her. I insisted she call me as soon as she was in her house. What she didn’t know was that I grabbed an umbrella and stood outside in the driving rain until I saw her safely step inside her own home.

  Kelsey agreed to Mars seeing her home. The two of them borrowed umbrellas and set out into the night.

  I lent Nina an oversized T-shirt to sleep in and gave her a fresh toothbrush. Except for one more after-dinner drink, that was all she needed.

  * * *

  In the morning, we woke to a mess. Tree limbs littered the streets. Chain saws screamed in the distance. The sun shone brightly in a blue sky, as though nothing had happened. The only difference was slightly cooler air. Our block appeared to have fared well, but no one had electricity.

  Neighbors gathered in the street, checking for damage and telling tales about their night. I hustled back inside and made two pots of strong coffee, while Nina loaded trays with cream and sugar.

  Mars and Bernie showed up and carried lawn chairs out into the street. No cars could pass for the time being because of the branches, and what could have been a horrible morning quickly changed into a block party breakfast.

  I made bowl after bowl of pancake batter, and Bernie acted like a short-order cook, flipping pancakes as fast as he could. Mars carried them outside, where neighbors had donated maple, blueberry, and blackberry syrups. Someone emptied her refrigerator of yogurt, another brought pints of fresh blueberries, and Nina offered the pastries we hadn’t consumed the day before. Even slightly stale, they were a welcome addition.

  Alex came by to see how we had fared. “Good grief, Sophie. You turn everything into a party.” He kissed me lightly.

  “Please. It’s not as though I planned this. Not everyone has gas to cook with. I know I’m a bear if I don’t have my morning coffee or tea.”

  In spite of his teasing, I noted that he poured himself a mug of coffee immediately and didn’t hesitate to join us for breakfast.

  The news of Hollis’s death spread like wildfire, putting a damper on spirits as people learned what had happened to him.

  I called Kelsey to see if she wanted to join us, but no one answered. I was worried enough to slip away for a moment on the pretense of walking Daisy. We ventured down the street to the Haberman residence. Someone, Cindy, I guessed, had painted the shutters and front door peacock blue, which accented the red brick nicely. We stepped up to the front door with a traditional glass fan over the top of it, and I banged a door knocker in the shape of a fox’s head.

  We could hear someone inside hurrying toward the door. Kelsey opened it. Dark circles under her eyes suggested she hadn’t slept a wink. They were still red-rimmed from crying.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked.

  “Ugh. I have a headache that feels like a drummer is in my head.” She motioned us in.

  Daisy and I stepped into an exquisitely appointed foyer. A large gilt mirror above a marble-topped demilune table gave it depth even though it wasn’t wide. The parlor beyond featured a wall of fine woodwork. A painting of horses and hounds hung above the fireplace. Bookcases overflowing with books flanked it and filled the wall. But an acrid odor hung in the air. Faint, but enough to make me wonder what smelled funky. “Why don’t you come and have some breakfast? A cup of coffee might help clear your head.”

  She took a deep breath. “I’m not dressed.” She gestured toward her T-shirt and old jeans.

  “You’re just fine. No one else looks any better.”

  “Okay.” She grabbed keys from the table and locked the door behind her.

  “I called, but no one answered.”

  “I unplugged the landline phones. They just kept ringing and ringing. As people heard what happened they couldn’t believe it and tried to call Hollis. After the first couple of calls I couldn’t handle it. Is that awful of me? They were his friends, people who cared about him. But I couldn’t talk about it. I just sobbed and could hardly speak. I think I needed time to process it, you know? It was like the day my aunt was shot. In one second she was gone and everything changed. The repercussions of a sudden death are so far-reaching. My mind is completely scattered. I can’t focus because it’s so overwhelming.”

  She stopped walking. “Why are all these people in the street?”

  “We’re having breakfast.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  Natasha, who was the only person on the street in full makeup and high heels, propelled toward Kelsey with her arms wide. “I was crushed to hear about Hollis.” She pulled Kelsey into a hug but released her quickly. “He was such a lovely man. I’m simply heartbroken.” Natasha linked her arm through Kelsey’s and steered her away from me, but turned back long enough to hiss at me, “Dibs on Coca-Cola cake.” As she walked with Kelsey, she asked, “Have you made the arran
gements yet? I would be happy to help you.”

  Nina scooted up beside me. “Oh no! How could you let Kelsey fall into her clutches?”

  “This is one time when it might work out. Kelsey could use some guidance, and it would keep Natasha busy.”

  Francie ambled over. “I really put my foot in it this time. You will not believe what happened. I was supposed to work as a volunteer at the library sale today. Early this morning I called Cindy to see if it was still on. I thought they would cancel because there’s no electricity and Cindy’s ex-husband had died. She didn’t know! I was the one who broke the news to her about Hollis’s death!”

  I felt for Francie. “How awkward for both of you. How did she take it?”

  “You know Cindy. There was stunned silence at first, which was when I began to realize what I had done. Of course, she asked how he died and started to cry. Apparently she had been over at the hospital yesterday morning but hadn’t heard that he didn’t make it.”

  “I cannot believe you!” Nina frowned at Francie. “So the library sale is off, I guess.”

  “Absolutely not. Cindy said she couldn’t let everyone down. They had advertised it and prepared everything. There was no way to call it off now.”

  “I doubt that,” I said. “The lack of electricity alone would have been a good excuse.”

  “She insisted that it made no difference because it’s being held outside on the sidewalk and they have a generator to protect the historical documents from extreme temperatures.” Francie shrugged.

  “It doesn’t surprise me one bit,” said Nina. “Cindy looks so delicate, like a flower that could wilt in too much heat or rain. But she’s actually one determined cookie.”

  Nina was right. Cindy had a lot more grit than most people thought.

  I returned to my kitchen, expecting to find a mess, but Bernie and Mars were washing and drying dishes.

  “I must be dreaming,” I said.

  “The water is cold, but we heated some in the kettle for washing.” Mars turned to Bernie and high-fived him. “Pioneer men! We also wrestle bears.”

  I couldn’t help giggling. “You’re very cheerful in spite of the lack of electricity.”

  “Almost everything is closed,” said Mars. “They’re asking people not to drive because traffic will slow down the clean-up crews.”

  Bernie handed him a coffee mug to dry. “The Laughing Hound is closed until further notice. We have gas for cooking, but without lights we can’t bring the public inside.”

  “Mind if I take Daisy since I have a day off?” asked Mars. “I was supposed to have her this week anyway.”

  “Sure. Go ahead.”

  After they left, I wandered into my sunroom. It would be too hot in there soon without any air-conditioning. Through the windows, I had a perfect view of the mess in my backyard. I ought to pick up the branches from the storm before the heat returned. But before I got started, the phone rang.

  Francie was calling from the library book sale. “We need extra hands down here. What with the stores and restaurants closed, they have a crazy crowd. Think you and Nina could come help us out?”

  “Of course. We’ll be there soon.”

  I phoned Nina, who was game to help out. After all, we had planned to be away and didn’t have anything scheduled. Wearing a white sleeveless cotton top, a sky-blue skort, white sandals, and a sun hat, I walked over to Nina’s house.

  The two of us strolled down to the library.

  Cindy Haberman rushed us the minute we arrived. “Thank you for coming,” she said in her gentle voice. Although she had pinned up her long locks, a few tendrils had worked their way loose around her face, giving her an angelic appearance. “Sophie, can you replenish books as they’re sold? And, Nina, maybe you could assist Francie under the tent where people pay. I think the crowd is a little overwhelming for her.”

  I placed my hand on her slender arm, which was surprisingly cool. “I’m so sorry about Hollis.”

  “Me too,” said Nina. “He was far too young to die.”

  Cindy spoke softly. “Thank you. I’m in shock, of course. I was terribly ugly to him at the underground dinner. I’ll always regret that we fought to the bitter end.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up about it,” said Nina. “I’m sure we would all act differently if we knew what fate had in store for us.”

  Cindy gazed away, and I realized that she was looking at Gavin. “I’m putting all my energy into this sale. Work is the best therapy, don’t you think?”

  I agreed but wondered why she hadn’t put Gavin to work. He had settled away from the sale, his back to the brick building, his knees drawn up, looking very much the petulant teenager.

  A bearded gentleman interrupted to haggle about the price of a one-dollar book. Nina and I hustled to our assigned jobs. The tables were labeled according to the type of book, so it wasn’t difficult to pick up a stack and fill empty spots on the tables.

  Browsers whisked them away with amazing speed. Cindy was kept busy overseeing everything, but I felt awful for Gavin. After an hour, I grabbed two drinks from a cooler and walked over to him.

  I sat down on the ground next to him, glad I’d worn a skort, and handed him a drink.

  “Thanks.”

  “I’m sorry about your dad.”

  He fidgeted with the bottle in his hands. “It’s okay. I never saw him anyway. It’s not like it will be any different.”

  “I guess both of you were busy.”

  “Yeah, I feel kind of bad about that now.”

  I listened, waiting for him to say more.

  “I never wanted to do stuff with him. Especially not if she was there. And now I’ll never have a chance to make up for that.”

  “It’s rough. I’m sure Hollis understood.”

  “If he understood, he never would have ditched my mom and me in the first place.”

  Ouch! I didn’t know enough about their situation to refute anything he was saying, but I tried. “He divorced your mom, not you.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” He flicked a blade of grass away. “It was like he died when he left us. Nothing would have changed if he had lived longer.”

  Gavin was breaking my heart. Unfortunately, he was probably right. The divorce had cut deep in Gavin’s soul.

  “Mrs. Winston? Do you think she killed him?”

  Chapter 11

  Dear Natasha,

  My uncle died yesterday. I just came from my aunt’s home, where the bereaved family and friends are gathering. I dutifully brought a funeral casserole that I had baked for the occasion. I was horrified to see people bringing store-bought foods! Is it just me? I thought if it wasn’t homemade, it didn’t count!

  Raised Right in Tombstone, Arizona

  Dear Raised Right,

  The mourners probably claimed they were too upset to prepare a proper dish. You were indeed raised right. One can only hope that fast food will be served at the funerals of the mourners who brought store-bought foods.

  Natasha

  “Gavin! Why would you ask that?” I stared at him, trying to read his expression.

  “Why else would she have married him?”

  I wondered if he was repeating something Cindy had said, or if he had come up with that conclusion on his own. It probably wasn’t the best time to talk about the possibility that Kelsey had loved Hollis.

  I chose my words carefully. “Do you have any evidence of that?”

  “That’s what I would need, isn’t it? I’ll come up with something.”

  “Gavin!” I playfully pushed his thin upper arm. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

  He laughed at me. A truly lovely genuine laugh, like the one I’d heard often when he was a kid. “I’m a teenager, Mrs. Winston. I do stupid stuff all the time.”

  Cindy was watching us with a frown on her face. I scrambled to my feet. “I’d better get back to work. Promise me you won’t go snooping around for evidence.”

  “Not a chance.”

  I
wasn’t sure whether he meant not a chance that he would make such a promise or not a chance that he would snoop. “Behave yourself,” I warned as I walked away.

  Cindy caught up to me. “Thanks for taking the time to talk to Gavin. He’s been in an awful funk. They tell me all teenagers are like this, but he was such a sweet little boy that I have trouble accepting his moodiness.”

  Was she kidding? “He just lost his father. I think I’d be melancholy, too.”

  “Oh, that’s not what’s making him crabby. He’s grounded. He’s not speaking to me at the moment to convey how terribly unfair I am. But I don’t dare give in. It hurts me to see him this way, but I have to be firm.”

  I drew in a sharp breath and tried not to appear shocked. Was she really trying to pass off his father’s death as inconsequential? Gavin could put on a brave face and pretend that nothing had changed now that his father was dead, but Cindy knew better than that. Teens were an enigma to me, but a parent’s death was life-changing and crushing, no matter what age a person was.

  A bit wimpishly I uttered, “He’ll get over being grounded. We all did.” He would never get over the way he had treated his dad after the divorce, though. Some wounds never healed. “What did he do to earn that punishment?”

  “He has this friend named Chadwick, who is actually a great kid. Polite, good student, relatively sane for a teenager. But Chadwick now has a girlfriend, and unfortunately, he’s in the habit of sneaking out at night to meet up with her. She brings a friend, and Chadwick drags Gavin along. I shouldn’t say drags. Gavin goes all too willingly. He punches up pillows on his bed and covers them with a blanket. Seriously, Sophie, it’s not even original! My brother did the same thing when we were kids. But I’m not going through another sleepless night, sitting in the living room and imagining all the awful things that could happen to him when he’s running around in the dark. I had to put my foot down. No cell phone for a month. I think that hurts the most, but I can’t have him texting with Chadwick. And one month of being grounded.”

  * * *