by Sarah Fox
“Did you see anything?”
“No.” She shuddered. “Thank goodness. It’s spooky enough knowing the guy was killed just down the street. I wouldn’t have wanted to see the killer skulking about. What if he came after me next? You know, to eliminate any witnesses.”
The front door opened and I glanced over my shoulder, expecting to see Forrest returning for something he’d forgotten. Instead, a tall and muscular woman stepped inside, bringing a blast of frosty air along with her.
“Marilyn,” the woman said in greeting, her gaze skipping past me to the receptionist. “Is Forrest in?”
“You just missed him, Jill. He’s on his way home.”
Jill nodded and thanked Marilyn before ducking back out into the night.
“Anyway,” Marilyn said when she was gone, “like I was saying, feel free to make an appointment once you know your schedule.”
I backed toward the door. “Thank you. Good night.”
I set off along the sidewalk, the shops lining the road all closed for the night. Street lamps cast pools of light along my path, but shadows filled the recessed shop doorways. I was about to head for the curb so I could cut across the street when a strong hand grabbed my arm.
I let out a gasp of surprise as I was yanked into the shadows filling a narrow gap between two buildings. Despite the darkness, I recognized Forrest as he shoved me up against the brick exterior of one of the stores.
“You think I don’t know what you’re up to?” he practically growled at me.
I struggled to get away from him, but both his hands now gripped my shoulders, holding me against the building.
“My wife told me all about you. You’re trying to ruin my family and I’m not going to let that happen!”
A large figure loomed out of the darkness, grabbing Forrest and hauling him away from me.
Air whooshed out of my lungs in an exhale of relief. I rubbed at a sore spot on my left shoulder as I stepped out from between the buildings.
Ivan stood beneath the nearest streetlamp, holding Forrest by the collar.
“Don’t you threaten Marley.” The chef’s voice boomed through the otherwise quiet night.
“She’s trying to destroy my family!”
I couldn’t help but feel a hint of satisfaction at the fear in Forrest’s eyes.
“I’m not trying to ruin anyone,” I said. “I’m just looking for the truth.”
Forrest tried to step toward me. Ivan tightened his grip on the accountant’s collar, keeping him in place.
“Did you kill Wally Fowler?” Ivan asked.
“You’re crazy, the both of you,” Forrest said, his voice dismissive now. “Let me go or I’ll call the sheriff.”
“And how will you explain dragging a woman off into the darkness?” Ivan said, but he released his hold on Forrest’s collar.
“Keep your nose out of my family’s business,” the accountant blustered, backing away from Ivan. “You’ll be sorry if you don’t.”
With that warning, he turned and fled, jumping into a car parked halfway down the street and roaring off seconds later.
I realized that my heart was thumping out a booming beat in my chest.
“Are you okay?” Ivan asked.
“Yes,” I said after gulping in some cold night air. “Thanks for stepping in.”
Ivan glared off down the street in the direction Forrest’s car had gone. “If he’s the killer, you need to be extra careful now.”
I rubbed my shoulder again. “I know. And now it’s all too easy for me to picture him shoving Wally’s head into that bowl of liquid nitrogen.”
We returned to my car and I cranked up the heat before driving in the direction of Ivan’s neighborhood.
“Did you learn anything useful?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. He said he was at home on the night of Wally’s murder and his receptionist confirmed that he wasn’t in the office. If I could talk to his daughter without making her suspicious, we might be able to find out if he really does have an alibi or not.”
“Best not to poke at that hornet’s nest,” Ivan advised. “He’s already angry enough to hurt you. If he finds out you’re involving his daughter…”
“Don’t worry. I’m well aware of the risk.”
I pulled to a stop in front of Ivan’s house.
He unclipped his seatbelt but didn’t move to get out of the car. “Don’t go investigating on your own, no matter what clues you’re looking for.”
“I won’t,” I assured him. “And I’ll be careful.”
His frown didn’t ease up, but he nodded before getting out of the car.
When I arrived home, I made sure all the doors and windows were locked. My encounter with Forrest had left me spooked and I was glad for Bentley’s company, especially since Brett was still at his parent’s house. With lights blazing all over the main floor, I got busy festooning the inside of the house with Christmas decorations, trying not to think about the bad turn the evening might have taken if Ivan hadn’t been there to save me from the angry accountant who very well might be Wally and Chester’s killer.
* * * *
Brett ended up spending the night at his parents’ place, wanting to be there in case his mom needed help caring for his dad. I’d assured him over the phone that I didn’t mind, even though I wanted nothing more than his company after the evening I’d had. I made sure to keep all hints of unease out of my voice and didn’t mention my encounter with Forrest. If I had, Brett would have hurried over to be with me, and I didn’t want him to feel like he needed to be away from his parents on his dad’s first night out of the hospital.
I didn’t sleep well and couldn’t stop yawning as I got ready to open The Flip Side the next morning. When everything was done save for flipping the Closed sign to Open, I made myself a strong cup of tea while Ivan and I filled Tommy in on our adventure the night before.
“Sounds guilty to me,” Tommy said once he’d heard the tale about Forrest Hansfield. “Does the sheriff suspect him?”
“I have no idea,” I said, “And I don’t want to ask. I’d only get a lecture.”
Blowing on my tea, I carried my cup with me out of the kitchen, just in time to greet Leigh as she arrived.
“Have you heard Adam Silvester’s good news?” I asked once we’d exchanged good mornings.
“About having the money for his daughter’s surgery? I found out this morning while I was dropping the girls off at daycare. It’s fantastic news.”
I followed Leigh into the break room where she shrugged out of her winter jacket and hung it in her locker. “Any idea how he suddenly came up with the money?”
“No,” she said. “I thought maybe a family member was helping him out, but I don’t actually know for sure.” She eyed me as she tied back her bleached-blond hair. “I’m guessing your interest has something to do with the murders.”
“A bunch of cash went missing from the waffle house the night Wally was killed,” I explained. “And earlier that day when Wally was here, Adam was giving him a death glare.”
Leigh shut the locker. “So you think Adam killed Wally and stole the cash to help pay for his daughter’s medical bills?”
“It’s a possibility.”
“I hope it’s not true. I really like Adam, and his poor daughter already lost her mom. She took off soon after Tabitha was born.” She tipped her head to the side. “But…”
“But what?”
“One of the mothers at daycare this morning was saying that Adam had asked Wally for a loan after the bank turned him down.”
“I’m guessing Wally turned him down too.”
“Apparently. That doesn’t surprise me, considering what Wally was like, but it does seem cruel. Wally had millions and Adam did so much for him back when they were in school.”
“I he
ard they were buddies back then.”
Leigh shrugged as we made our way out of the break room. “I think Adam thought they were buddies. For Wally, I’m betting it was more of a relationship of convenience. Adam was always really good at math, and Wally struggled with it. My understanding is that Adam was always helping Wally with his homework. Maybe even doing assignments for him. I’m not sure if Wally would have graduated without Adam’s help.”
“Then it must have stung all the more when Wally turned down Adam’s request for help.”
“Probably. I guess Adam finally saw Wally for who he really was.”
“That would explain the death glare.”
But could it also have driven Adam to murder?
Leigh disappeared into the kitchen to say good morning to Ivan and Tommy while I wandered over to the fireplace to enjoy the warmth from the dancing flames. As I sipped at my tea and thought over my conversation with Leigh, my gaze landed on the carved driftwood eagle I’d purchased from Patricia at the craft fair. It looked perfect on the mantel, and since I’d put it on display a couple of customers had asked where they could find ones like it. I made a mental note to suggest to Patricia that she leave some business cards at the pancake house for any customers who inquired about her sculptures.
Shifting my thoughts back to Adam, I recalled how I’d seen him on the sidewalk near the hardware store on the night of Wally’s death. He’d seemed distracted, and he was heading in the direction of the waffle house. Had he been on his way to ask Wally for a loan? And when Wally turned him down…
I drained the last of my tea and turned away from the merry crackling of the flames in the fireplace. I didn’t want Adam to be the killer. That would be terrible for his poor daughter. But I couldn’t ignore all the evidence pointing his way. He had to stay near the top of my suspect list.
When I ducked into the kitchen to drop off my tea mug, Leigh was in the midst of telling Ivan and Tommy about our discussion about Adam. I only stayed around long enough to contribute a comment or two, and then I was back out through the swinging door. It was time to open the pancake house for the day. Any more investigating would have to wait.
Chapter 24
As I changed the sign on The Flip Side’s front door, a smile spread across my face. Brett was out on the promenade, heading my way.
“How’s your dad doing?” I asked once I’d greeted him.
“The trip home exhausted him, but he’s resting comfortably now.”
“Did you get any sleep last night?” I checked his face for signs of exhaustion, but he looked better than he had a couple of days ago.
“I did. I only got up twice to check on Dad.” He pulled me into a hug. “I missed you, though.”
“The feeling’s mutual.” I would have kissed him then, but the first customers of the day—an elderly couple who frequented the pancake house—were approaching the front door.
“Have you had breakfast?” I asked Brett once I’d greeted the couple and told them to sit wherever they liked.
“Not yet.”
“You need to try the eggnog French toast,” I told him.
“I’m not going to argue with you there.”
Business was slow at the moment, so I told Brett to get settled in the office and fetched him a plate of French toast and a cup of coffee. Unable to resist temptation, I brought along a plate of gingerbread crêpes for myself. Ivan had infused the batter with molasses and spices so the crêpes tasted like my favorite holiday treat—ginger cookies. Filled with eggnog whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate, the gingerbread crêpes were my favorite of the holiday items we’d added to the menu for December.
As we ate, I thought about telling Brett everything that had happened the day before, but I stopped myself before the words came out of my mouth. He had enough to worry about as it was, and I didn’t want to add to that.
“How was your day yesterday?” Brett asked as he cut a piece off his French toast.
“It was all right,” I said, maybe a bit too quickly. “I’m guessing you’re working today?”
He washed down a bite of French toast with a sip of coffee, his blue eyes on me the whole time. “I am, but what happened yesterday?”
I hesitated.
“Marley, now you’re worrying me.”
“There’s nothing to worry about,” I rushed to assure him. “But you have enough going on at the moment. I don’t need to bother you with the details of my snooping.”
“I thought we agreed you wouldn’t hold back?”
“True,” I admitted, but I didn’t go any further.
He gave one of my ringlets a gentle tug. “I want to know. If it interests you, it interests me.”
“All right,” I relented with a smile, knowing I’d feel better with him in the loop.
I told him everything, from the discovery of Lisa’s lost bracelet at the scene of Chester’s death to my frightening encounter with Forrest.
Brett’s eyes darkened at that part of the tale. “You should tell Ray.”
I frowned at that suggestion.
“Really, Marley. He should know about it. If Ivan hadn’t been there…”
“I know, but Ray will be ticked off if he knows I’ve been poking around.” I could tell he was going to keep arguing the point, so I quickly told him what I’d learned about Adam that morning.
“Adam Silvester,” Brett said, thinking.
“Do you know him?”
“No, but I think I know who you mean. He works at the grocery store, right?”
“I don’t know.”
“Speaking of groceries,” Brett said after he’d swallowed the last piece of his French toast, “I’m going to swing by the store after work. My mom gave me a list of things she needs. I’ll drop everything off there and check in on my dad, but then I’ll head home. I should be there by six-thirty, so maybe we can have dinner together?”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Home. I like the sound of that.”
“So do I.”
I was still smiling when I walked him to the front door a few minutes later.
“Why don’t you give me your mom’s grocery list?” I suggested. “I’ll be finished work before you, and I’d like to stop by your parents’ place for a few minutes anyway.”
“You don’t have to do that. The store doesn’t close until six, so I’ll have time.”
I convinced him that I wanted to take care of the task and he handed over the list. I walked him out of the pancake house and down the promenade so I could kiss him goodbye out of sight of all the diners currently enjoying their breakfasts.
Once I’d seen him off, I hurried back inside, escaping the cold air that was cutting through my clothes. As the door shut behind me, I caught sight of a familiar face across the dining area. Glo’s cousin Jill had arrived in my brief absence and was now seated at a small table near the back of the restaurant.
The pancake house likely wouldn’t get busy for a while yet, so I decided to do some work in the office until the breakfast rush got underway. I stopped by the kitchen to tell Leigh where I’d be, and on my way out, I noticed Jill staring at me. She was all the way across the room, yet I could feel the frosty touch of her gaze against my skin. Unsettled, I turned my back on her and continued on my way to the office.
I tried to shake off the uneasiness that had burrowed into my bones, but I had trouble focusing on my computer screen. Had Forrest and Glo told Jill about what they saw as my interference in their lives? They must have. I couldn’t think of any other reason why Jill would show such animosity toward me. I’d never officially met the woman, and I hadn’t had any real interaction with her.
By the time I left the office to give Leigh a hand during the breakfast rush, Jill was gone, and I was glad of that. I didn’t want her causing a scene in the middle of my restaurant. Maybe she wouldn’t have, but tha
t wasn’t something I could have counted on.
Fortunately, all the rest of The Flip Side’s patrons were in a much better mood than Jill, and the day passed quickly as I chatted with customers, served meals, and cleaned tables. When the last diner had left the pancake house shortly after two o’clock, I indulged in a plate of candy cane pancakes, enjoying the peppermint flavor and the crunch from the crushed candy sprinkled on top. The pancakes tasted extra delicious when eaten with pure maple syrup poured over them, and the candy cane flavor had a way of bringing back happy Christmas memories from my childhood. I tried not to linger too long over my delicious snack, and once I’d cleaned up my dishes, I tidied up the restaurant and headed to the bank.
Once I’d finished my banking, I consulted the shopping list Brett had given me. It wasn’t a long one, so I decided I could pick up the groceries on foot rather than heading home to get my car first. I grabbed a shopping basket from the stack inside the grocery store and worked my way up and down the aisles, adding an item to my basket here and there.
When I reached the dairy products, I saw Vicky staring at the array of cheeses available, a shopping cart parked next to her holding only a few items.
“Vicky?”
She startled when I said her name, and I suspected she’d been staring at the cheeses without really seeing them.
“How are you doing?” I asked her.
She tried to produce a smile but the result was feeble at best. “I’m…all right.” Her gaze drifted back to the display of cheeses. “It’s hard to decide what to buy when nothing seems appetizing these days.”
I rested a hand on her arm. “I’m so sorry, Vicky. Is there anything I can do for you?”
She blinked rapidly, as if fending off tears. “Have coffee with me?” She sniffled and then shook her head. “Sorry, that sounded pathetic. It’s just… I’ve been so lonely without Wally and Chester.”
A wave of intense sympathy forced me to blink away some tears of my own. “It’s not pathetic.” I glanced at the groceries in my basket. “I need to deliver these to my boyfriend’s parents, but how about we meet up after that?”
