by Cindy Bell
Peaches flicked her tail up high enough to swat Ally on the nose. She purred when Ally ran her hand along the fur on her back.
“You’re right, I’m not thinking clearly. I’m too emotional because I knew Emma.” Peaches purred and stretched out in her lap. “I know, I know, I can’t settle down either.” She glanced at her watch. It was still early enough to take Arnold for a walk. “Arnold, are you up for a stroll?” Peaches jumped to the other side of the couch. Arnold came bounding into the living room when he heard his name. He nuzzled Ally’s shin as she rummaged around for the collar and leash. Once she had Arnold ready he lunged towards the front door. Ally couldn’t help but smile at the strength of the small pig.
As soon as the fresh air hit her lungs some of the tension in her body eased. Maybe that was what she needed all along, a fresh perspective. Arnold seemed very interested in the grass and sidewalk. He sniffed everywhere as they walked. When they turned on to the next block Arnold’s demeanor changed. He pulled her along with more force than usual. She noticed that he had a certain direction he wanted to take. As she let him take the lead he trotted right past an overstuffed mailbox.
“I told you, keep that pig away from here!”
The voice from just beside her made Ally jump. She turned to see the cranky woman step out from behind a tree.
“We’re on the sidewalk. We have a right to be here.”
“I don’t think this neighborhood is zoned for farm animals. What’s next? A rooster?” She scowled. “As if there isn’t enough noise and chaos around here.”
“I find it to be a fairly quiet area.” Ally studied her for a moment. It was easy to write her off as an unpleasant person, but she wondered what might have made her that way. Ally wanted to ask her about what she had been heard saying by the post office, but she didn’t think she would talk to her about it without gaining her trust first. Ally was also worried about her, she wanted to know that the woman was all right. “Ma’am, are you okay? Do you need help with anything?”
“Am I okay? Like I’m some feeble-minded beggar?” She glared at Ally with such an intensity that Ally took a step back.
“I didn’t mean anything by it, I just wanted to make sure that you were cared for.”
“Because having some nosy person to check in on you is so very important?” She rolled her eyes. “Look here, young lady, you’re the one that’s lost your mind if you didn’t hear that ruckus last night.”
“Ruckus?” Ally blinked. All of a sudden Ally recalled seeing the woman across the street after she found Emma’s body. And she was the one who said it was a murder outside the post office. Ally’s heart dropped. Could Mavis have been involved? “Did you hear or see something last night?”
“Before all of the sirens?” Mavis laughed, though it sounded more like a cackle. “Everyone’s in a tizzy about someone falling down the stairs. They’re talking about buying safety guards and special shoes to keep from slipping. So blind, so very blind, they are.”
Ally tightened her grip on Arnold’s leash. “What are you talking about? You were overheard saying it was a murder at the post office. Do you know something about Emma’s death?”
“Don’t you, pretty lady?”
For the first time Ally looked into the strange woman’s eyes. They were a clear blue so crisp that Ally was lost in them for a moment. As wild as she acted, the woman’s eyes revealed a sense of confidence and peace that surprised her.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Sure you do. I saw you there, just like you saw me. We’re the type that know things, aren’t we?”
“Were you inside Emma’s house? Did she invite you in?”
“Ah, I see. Maybe I was wrong. Just as blind as the rest. Off with you and your foul pig.” She turned and made her way back towards the house. Ally stared after her. She considered following her and trying to get more information, but she was certain the woman would not be forthcoming. She decided that no matter what, she had to find out more about her. Clearly she knew more about Emma’s death than she was willing to reveal. She wanted to know the woman’s full name. She could ask her grandmother if she knew it, but as she looked at the packed mailbox she had an idea. She glanced around to see if anyone was around. Once she was sure that no one watched her, she plucked one of the pieces of mail out of the mailbox and read the name that it was addressed to.
‘Mavis Mauder.’ She tucked the envelope back into the mailbox and looked up towards the house. Ally couldn’t be certain, but she thought she saw a curtain flutter. As Ally led Arnold back to the cottage she couldn’t stop thinking about Mavis, and what she said. ‘We’re the type that know things, aren’t we?’ Was that supposed to mean that she and Ally were the same in some way? As soon as she was inside she headed straight for her computer. She ran a search on her name without knowing what she expected to find.
Mavis Mauder. She pursed her lips as she read through the information she could find about her. She soon discovered much of what she already knew. Mavis was eighty-eight, recently widowed, with four children. She lived alone in the house, which she owned. She wasn’t able to find out much more about her. She decided that when they opened the shop the next morning, she would find out what she could from Mrs. White, Mrs. Bing, and Mrs. Cale. If anyone knew anything about the woman’s history, they would. She spent the rest of the evening playing with Peaches and soothing Arnold, who still had his feelings hurt.
Chapter Seven
The next morning Ally took some time to fold and put away laundry. She had a few extra minutes when she was done. Only then did it occur to her that Luke never made it to the shop for a muffin. She decided to head to the shop early and make up a small basket to take to him. It wouldn’t be something that he expected, but she hoped he would like it.
As Ally walked up to the door of the shop her mind was focused on what basket she would use and how many muffins she would fill it with. Would he be embarrassed if she carried it into the station to give it to him? Out of habit she slid the key into the lock. However, before she could turn it the door pushed all the way open on its own. Her heart stopped. Was her grandmother already there and left the front door unlocked? Did they forget to lock up the day before? She was sure they didn’t. Both she and her grandmother were very careful about things like that. However, the door was open. As she pushed it open further it crunched over glass and bumped into things. Her eyes widened when she saw the debris scattered across the floor.
“Oh no! Oh no!”
“Ally? What’s wrong?” Her grandmother walked up behind her.
“Mee-Maw, someone’s broken in.” She grabbed her grandmother’s hand. “They’ve ransacked the place. I’m calling Luke. Her hand trembled as she pulled her phone out of her purse. “We have to find out who did this and fast.”
“Wait Ally, let’s take a look around.” Charlotte pushed past her further into the shop. Ally followed after her.
“I’ll check the back.” Ally rushed past her towards the back room. As she did she heard a strange sound. It was a tune she recognized, she couldn’t place it, but thought that it was maybe from a movie. But there was no television in the shop, and although she played music sometimes when she worked in the kitchen, she always turned it off before she left. So, what was making that sound?
All at once it struck her that it sounded like a ringtone from a cell phone. Whoever broke into the shop was still there. She broke into a run straight through the door that led to the back room. As she burst through it she saw the back door swing shut. As panic and fury washed over her she slammed her way through the back door and out into the parking lot. The only vehicles in the parking lot were her car and the delivery van for the shop. There was no sign of anyone else around. She spun around slowly in an attempt to figure out in which direction the burglar went. There was no sign of anyone nearby.
“Ally! I’ve called Luke! Did you see who it was?”
“No Mee-Maw, I’m sorry.” She tried to even out her rapi
d breaths. “I wasn’t fast enough. I didn’t see anyone.”
“It’s all right, honey.” Charlotte rubbed her upper back and patted it a little. “I’m just glad that you’re safe. You shouldn’t have taken off after them like that.”
“No, you shouldn’t have.” Luke jogged to a stop beside them. “I was on my way here when your grandmother called. You didn’t see them at all, Ally?”
“No.” She tried to catch her breath. “I tried to catch up with them, but I just couldn’t.”
“It’s okay. We’re going to find out who did this,” Luke said.
Ally took a deep breath and did her best to calm down. Luke always managed to cut through her panic. “I know, it’s just that whoever it was, they were right there, and I just couldn’t get there fast enough.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” He placed both of his hands on her shoulders. “What if the person was armed? What if they came after you?”
“Luke, you have to stop worrying about me so much. I can handle myself.”
“No.” His grasp tightened just a little on her shoulders and he held her gaze. “You can’t handle it. A criminal about to be caught can be very desperate and will do anything to escape. You should have called me the moment that you opened the door.”
“I was going to.”
“She was.” Charlotte frowned as she stepped up to both of them. “I told her not to. I wanted to check out the shop before she did.”
“Why?” Luke glanced over at her.
“I don’t know. I guess I wanted to make sense of it, and see if anything was missing.”
“All right.” Luke sighed and gave Ally’s shoulders a comforting squeeze before releasing them. “Let’s just take a walk through together. Do you have any idea who might have done this?”
“No.” Charlotte shook her head as the three of them walked back into the shop. “I can’t even imagine who would want to harm the shop, or us.”
“What about anyone strange hanging around? Any drifters or people you didn’t recognize?” Luke paused in the middle of the front of the shop. He glanced around at the shelves along the walls.
“No one. Right Ally?” Charlotte looked over at her.
“No one that I’ve noticed.” Ally reached down and picked up one of the wooden carvings that was in the middle of a pile of glass. “They shattered the display case. Luckily we took everything out yesterday before we left.”
“It looks like they knocked almost everything onto the floor. Ally, walk me through what happened when you got here this morning.” He gestured to the front door. “Was the door locked?”
“No, it was open.” Ally shook her head. “I put the key in the lock, and then realized that the door was already open.”
Luke walked over to it and put on a glove. He carefully pulled the door open without touching the handle. He crouched down and looked at the lock and catch. “There’s no sign of forced entry that I can see. Did you leave it open yesterday?”
“No.” Ally shook her head. “I thought about that, but I’m sure we locked it. I always double check.”
“You were in a rush to leave right? Distracted by thoughts of Emma and going to visit Jack?”
“Well yes, but still, we locked the door.”
“Charlotte?” Luke looked over at her. “Are you as sure as Ally?”
“Yes, of course.” She narrowed her eyes. “If Ally says that it was locked, then it was locked.”
“Interesting.” He straightened up. “This door is very difficult to break through without leaving a mark,” he said thoughtfully. “So, if they didn’t break in, and the door wasn’t left unlocked, then maybe they had a key.”
“That’s impossible. We’re between delivery drivers right now, so Ally and I are the only ones who have a key.”
“And where are they?” Luke looked from Charlotte to Ally.
“I have mine.” Ally lifted her keys into the air. “I have the key for the delivery driver on here as well.”
“I have mine, too, of course.” Charlotte rummaged through her purse. She paused after a few moments, then rummaged again. “Oh, I must have left it at home. Maybe.” She furrowed a brow.
“So, we could have a missing key?” Luke frowned. “You need to change the locks, just in case. I’m going to get a crime scene unit over here to dust for prints. Don’t clean up until then, I know it’s hard, but if things are left where they are, it’s for the best.”
“I don’t even know what they would want to steal. We don’t keep more than fifty dollars in the register at night.” Charlotte wrung her hands. “This is just awful. We certainly can’t open up today.”
“Don’t worry, Mee-Maw, we’ll get it all straightened out. Let’s check the register and the equipment in the kitchen. That can be sold for quite a bit of money.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll stay with you until the patrol officers arrive.” Luke slipped his hand into Ally’s. “I’m sorry this happened.”
“I was going to make you a basket.” She frowned.
“Oh?” He smiled. “That’s very thoughtful of you.”
“Is it? I didn’t know if you would like it.”
“Absolutely.”
“Let me see if there are still muffins in the back.”
“Thank you, but I think you’re going to have to get rid of everything. Just to be on the safe side. We don’t know what the person touched.”
“Oh, of course.” Ally nodded. “I’ll just go see what we have to get rid of.” She walked away from Luke and into the backroom, still in a daze. As she opened the refrigerator she noticed that her hands shook. It was hard for her to believe that the shop she’d grown up in, had been overturned by someone. She looked in the refrigerator and then at the dry ingredients. Although she was pretty sure that nothing had been touched she knew that she would have to get rid of it. She was relieved to find that there wasn’t much made and they didn’t have a large stock of raw products as they were expecting a delivery tomorrow. When she stepped back out into the main area of the shop she found Luke speaking to two officers.
“I want the whole place searched. I want to know who was in here, understand? Don’t skip over anything. As soon as you have a name, you report it to me first.” He looked between the two men. “Got it?”
Ally suppressed a smile at Luke’s protectiveness.
“Yes sir. We’ll get started right away.”
“I hate to leave you like this, but I have to get back to the other case I’m working on,” Luke said as he walked over to her.
“It’s okay, Luke. I know that you’re only a phone call away.” Ally watched him as he walked out the door. “Mee-Maw, we should step out while the officers do their job. No need for us to hover.”
“You’re right.” Charlotte held open the back door for her. “I want to talk to you about something.”
As soon as they were outside Ally turned to face her. “What is it?”
“I think I know who did this.”
“You do?” Ally’s eyes widened. “Who?”
“I think it must have been Gary.”
“Gary? Emma’s ex-husband? Why do you think that?”
“Luke questioned him yesterday. We were at the yard sale when he argued with Emma. Remember he almost ran straight into you when he was leaving. Maybe he worked out that it was us that told Luke about the argument. Maybe he wanted to get revenge.”
“Wow, I didn’t even think about that. You might be right. I should let Luke know.”
“No, don’t. It’s just a feeling I have so let’s not take up more of Luke’s time. I want to find out for ourselves. If Luke pays him another visit he might get spooked and we will never find out what happened.”
“Well, I can get his address pretty easily. What’s your plan?”
“We’re going to talk to him ourselves.”
“Do you think that’s wise? I’m not sure that he’s the approachable type.”
“He doesn’t have to be. He just need
s to answer a few questions for us. Let him try to push me around, and he’ll find out that it’s impossible.” Charlotte straightened the collar of her blouse. “Someone broke into my shop, our shop, and vandalized it. I’m not going to let that go by without finding out who did it. Get his address. Let’s go.”
Ally searched Gary’s name to find his address, then followed her grandmother to her car. “It’s not too far, I’m sure we can find it.” As she opened the door to the driver’s side she thought about the potential risk that existed. If Gary could ruthlessly murder his ex-wife he could harm anyone. As brave as her grandmother was, she also knew that sometimes she let her bravery get her into dangerous situations, not unlike her granddaughter. “Mee-Maw, maybe we should take a look around Emma’s house first and see if there’s any indication it wasn’t an accident and if there is any evidence.”
“Around, or inside?” Charlotte glanced at her.
“Inside. I bet she still keeps a key under the flower pot in the back. She told us about it when we dropped off a chocolate delivery for her and she wasn’t home. Remember?”
“Oh yes, of course.”
“If it’s there we can let ourselves in without doing anything too risky. If Jack isn’t home, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“All right, let’s swing by there first.”
Chapter Eight
Ally turned down the road that led to Emma’s house. She stopped a few houses down so as not to draw too much attention to herself. She pulled her keys out of the ignition and stepped out of the car. “Let’s see what we can find, but remember to be careful. We have no idea who ransacked the shop. It could be related to Emma’s death. We have no idea where the burglar might strike next.”
