by Meg Macy
“What kind of trouble?”
“Zoe Fisher tried a glue that wasn’t clear enough for her Bling Bear,” Maddie said. “She had to gouge it all off and start over. And Jay Kirby is doing a Lumberjack Bear. He needs help with the costume, Sasha, so I told him you’d help.”
“Uh, okay.”
Amazed that she’d volunteered me without asking, I was at a loss for words. I disliked being put on the spot, but she left to help Aunt Eve. I had no chance to refuse.
Kip laughed. “Jay’s panicking, so he’d appreciate any advice.”
More seniors arrived to purchase items for their families, so I helped them choose bears and accessories. I didn’t get a chance to ask Kip if Jay really needed my help or if it was another ploy to throw us together. At last the final customer paid and departed. Sighing in relief, I closed the register drawer. Oddly enough, Kip rose from the bench by the front door. He looked uneasy, shifting on his feet and wiping his hands on his jeans.
“Hey, Sash. Can I ask you a question?”
“Um, sure.”
“First, I should apologize. About not understanding that migraine you had on Saturday,” he said. “Maddie explained how they’re not like regular headaches. I had no idea.”
“No problem.”
“Sometimes I get a little carried away. Like ordering that expensive champagne.”
“It’s okay.” I sensed genuine concern in his tone. “Stress-related headaches hit without warning. It’s been pretty crazy over the last month.”
Kip gave an odd shake, shoulders, arms, and head, as if quivering in revulsion. “Yeah, Maddie told me what happened. That must have been pretty grim.”
“Very.” I hesitated before posing a question. “Can I ask what you did after Maddie left with Jay Saturday night? Did you go on a pub crawl without her?”
“Nah. I called it a night. Whatever.”
“You didn’t see anyone—a stranger, or someone you knew,” I said, “maybe hanging around the parking lot in back? Behind Fresh Grounds.”
“Nope, but I didn’t go that way. My car was parked over by the Village Green.” Kip planted his elbows on the front counter, chin in one hand, his warm brown eyes meeting my gaze. “Do you know how serious Maddie is, and whether she’s ready to settle down? Maybe it’s too early to expect that, but I’m crazy about her.”
“We haven’t had a chance to talk much. What with renovating the office, and all the work she’s been doing for the Bears on Parade committee—”
“Yeah, I get it. I have to be patient. I’m not so good at that,” he said with a laugh. “Okay, but don’t tell her I asked. She’d probably think it’s too weird. I’ve never fallen so hard for a chick before now. Maddie is really special.”
“I agree.” I matched his smile. “I really hope things work out for you both.”
“She’s so down to earth. So genuine. I really dislike women who fake things, play games, and pretend they know so much.” Kip breathed deep. “Just so you know, Sasha. Jay’s into you. We could try again for dinner, the four of us, if you’re up for it. If you feel the same about him. Not trying to push you, but think about it.”
“Okay, thanks.” Unwilling to share my thoughts, I started cashing out. “I’ll see you Wednesday when Maddie’s bear is unveiled. What time does it start again?”
“Six o’clock.” Kip flashed his boyish smile and then lumbered toward the door. “Jay will be there. You can ask him then about his bear’s costume.”
Hoo boy. I flipped the CLOSED sign and locked the door after him. While Jay’s bear sounded adorable, I wished he would have asked for my help instead of relying on his friends. Unless he’d intended to ask me Saturday night and never got the chance, given my migraine. Or maybe Kip and Maddie jumped the gun, asking me without his knowledge. Still, I couldn’t help resenting Maddie’s matchmaking. Kip, too. He’d definitely been fishing.
I tiptoed past the office, ignoring Maddie’s and Aunt Eve’s voices. Rosie stood by the back door, leash in her mouth, her tail wagging. I laughed. “Yes, you sweet baby. Let’s go.”
Due to the tour, I’d worn my Chacos for comfort. Getting out into the fresh air and bright sunshine helped lift my mood. With so many things to deal with all day long, plus the tour, the day had sped past. Now I could relax and avoid thinking about my job, family, and any future relationships. Even Gina Lawson’s murder.
Rosie padded eagerly down the sidewalk, claws clicking. I glanced inside Through the Looking Glass’s windows, open but without any browsing customers. Holly Parker shelved some books near the front door. Silver Hollow residents had been sad when the Holly Jolly Christmas shop had to close; I certainly enjoyed seeing all the sparkling trees and ornaments, year-round. Holly had added an ironwork fence around the wide yard that faced Kermit, with a locked gate. Inside, a metal butterfly chair and a resin play structure with wood chips spread underneath gave kids a chance to play while parents shopped inside.
I opened the door and stuck my head inside. “Hi, Holly. Do you know if Gina’s family will have a funeral or memorial service? I know the police have to do an autopsy.”
“She was an orphan, and an only child,” Holly said. “So who knows if there’ll be any services at all.”
She vanished around the corner, leaving me to get another look inside the shop. The new books below the Disney collectibles had been crammed in helter-skelter, nothing at all like the tidy shelves at The Cat’s Cradle. Elle insisted all the books be in alphabetical order by author and within categories—picture books, early readers, chapter books, YA—and then within various subcategories like bedtime, adventure, mystery, etc. I wondered if Holly carried any first editions of Lewis Carroll’s books, or various versions of the author’s biography.
Losing Gina was a big disadvantage, given her marketing skills, but Holly would survive. She always had in the past.
“So what do you really want?” Holly asked, returning with another box.
“You said Gina uploaded listings, and handled online sales, right?” I asked.
“Yeah. I’ll have to teach myself how to do all that now. She said writing the summaries was the hardest part.”
“We hired Tim Richardson to help with shipping. Maybe one of his sisters could help you out here, part-time, until you find a permanent replacement.”
“I need someone with experience, not a farm hick. Gina knew accounting, marketing, how to organize things, everything about running a small business,” Holly added. “We planned everything for this shop when we worked in Traverse City.”
“Really?” That was news. I wondered if Maddie had learned that before. “It still boggles the mind, how she happened to be wearing your jacket.”
“You keep saying that, so you must have hoped it was me killed. Don’t try to pretend. Everyone in Silver Hollow knows we hate each other’s guts.”
“I may not like you,” I said slowly, “but I’ve never hated you.”
“Ha.” Holly opened a lethal box cutter and then scored along the closest sealed box’s top. “I wanted to open a shop in Ann Arbor, but Gina convinced me to come back here instead. Flynn told her this shop was for rent, and that it was a great location for business.”
I fought to hide my shock. First Holly accused me of being coldhearted, but learning my ex had betrayed me again was too much. Had Mom mentioned it to Flynn? She must have, if he’d turned around and relayed the information to Gina, who then told Holly.
“Why would Gina have bought those items off eBay?” I watched for her reaction. “The ones Detective Mason found in the back of your shop.”
Holly hadn’t been paying attention to me while she unpacked a second box of books, but nearly dropped the box cutter. Her cheeks pink, she faced me.
“I have no idea. I’m busy, so get off my back. You and your dog.”
Holly slapped a leather-bound book on the counter with a bang. I knew she disliked being questioned, especially when odd things happened—like back in high school. When all my
oboe reeds had been split, she’d easily won first chair. Nobody admitted to doing the deed, but that drama seemed silly now. Murder topped old resentments and rivalry. At least in my book, if not Holly Parker’s. She slammed things around, still angry.
Rosie and I dodged the screen door before it banged shut behind us. “Good luck finding someone to help you,” I called.
Holly didn’t reply. Not that I expected an answer.
Chapter 11
Despite my disgruntled mood after that encounter with Holly, I didn’t want to cheat Rosie out of her walk to the Village Green. She sniffed every bush, tree, mailbox, trash barrel, plus anyone’s hands when they reached down to pet her along the way. A few people she knew and greeted with a wagging tail. Several strangers asked for directions to Blake’s Pharmacy or the park. Once past the courthouse, I let Rosie’s leash extend to its full length. She barked at another dog that resembled a beautiful golden Labrador, but with the oddest blue eyes. Jay Kirby waved, holding on to the Lab’s similar retractable leash.
The large dog raced over to give Rosie the universal greeting. I smiled at Jay. “Hi. Didn’t know you had a dog.”
“Yeah, this is Buster.”
Casual in blue jean shorts, a shirt flecked with bits of sawdust, and fisherman sandals, he hauled back on the dog’s leash. Rosie took off in another direction as far as she could. Jay ordered his dog to sit, so I scratched behind Buster’s silky ears and under his muzzle.
“What kind of mix is he? Such beautiful eyes.”
“Husky and Lab,” Jay said. “Call him a Hubrador or a Lab-sky. Your choice.”
I laughed. “Rosie’s a mix of Lhasa Apso and Bichon. I get her groomed to make her look like a teddy bear.”
“She’s a beauty. Love the curly hair.”
Jay was only a few inches taller than me. His friendliness and easy manner, plus the way he listened, put me at ease. I glanced around the grassy expanse. A few couples strolled along the sidewalk; one mom pushed a double stroller while she jogged. A group of teens gathered at the farthest corner closest to the school. Rosie’s leash wound around a slender tree, so I retrieved her and untangled the cord. I led her back to rejoin Jay and Buster, who sat with his tongue hanging out, calm and cool. Rosie lowered herself to the grass, panting hard.
“Honestly, I am the worst dog owner,” I said. “She’s the alpha, I’m a wimp.”
Jay chuckled. “I rescued Buster, so I had to learn how to control him. He’s eight years old now, more mellow. Nice evening to be out.”
“Yeah.” I hauled Rosie in by her leash when she started to chase a squirrel. “It is.” I’d run out of things to say, though, and glanced up at the dazzling sunset.
“I’d love for you to come out to my studio,” he said. “See my latest projects.”
“Uh, sure. But I won’t have time till after the Oktobear Fest.”
“Okay.” Jay shifted his feet and sounded awkward when he changed the subject. “Sorry we didn’t get much of a chance to talk Saturday night. I meant to ask you—well, about helping me. With my sculpture for the Bears on Parade.”
“Maddie and Kip mentioned that.”
“They did? Well, my Lumberjack Bear needs a costume.”
I nodded. “Okay. What did you have in mind?”
“I should have called you and asked, before Maddie and Kip did.” He sounded uncertain. “But I was afraid you might turn me down.”
I grinned at his sheepish expression. “You don’t know me well enough. Tell me about your Lumberjack Bear. Are you thinking of a flannel shirt and jeans? Maybe you should get a knitted wool cap for his head, too.”
“Great idea. If I can find one to stretch,” Jay said. “That head is pretty big.”
“My aunt would make a hat if you give her the measurements. She’s a fast knitter and loves those kinds of projects.”
He rubbed his jaw. “Really? That would be so cool. My bear is one of the last to be displayed because I had to finish a carving project. Maddie’s Polka Bear is ready, and Kip’s should be done by the weekend. I haven’t even come up with an official name yet.”
“So it’s not the Lumberjack Bear?”
“I said that, but the committee thought it was too lame.”
“Hmm. How about the Paul Bunyan Bear,” I said, “or the ‘I’m a Lumberjack and I’m Okay’ Bear, from the Monty Python skit. Or the Jack Pine Bear.”
Jay had cracked up over the Monty Python suggestion and caught his breath. “Wow. Good one, but I like Jack Pine better. Done! We could add suspenders to the costume, too.”
“I love that idea.”
“Thanks so much, Sasha. The committee asked for another bear on Roosevelt Street when one artist dropped out. That’s the only reason I was asked. To be honest, I’d rather carve a bear than use that resin sculpture. But I’m stuck with the rules.”
“So what about shoes or boots? He can’t be barefoot. Er, bare paws.”
“Bear paws, ha. I chose boots, so I split a pair in half. Size sixteen, the biggest I could find on eBay, and glued each half on with industrial adhesive. I almost passed out from the toxic fumes. I’d rather not use that stuff again.”
“You need Velcro,” I said promptly. “Top of the line, not the stuff you can buy at a craft shop. Duct tape won’t work, although Kip might not agree.”
“I know. It’s his favorite go-to.”
“He might say anyone can rip the clothes off if we use Velcro, but not if you spray on sealant. We’ll have to make sure the seams aren’t that visible. That way people won’t know Velcro is keeping it all together.”
“Maddie said if anyone could figure out how to do it, you would. Thanks so much.”
Jay’s smile was on the shy side, not flashy or fake like my ex-husband. I tried to forget Flynn’s plastered smile on those TV commercials, and focused on Jay and his bear.
“Do you have enough flannel for the shirt? And denim?”
“I found a bunch of plaid shirts in the same pattern,” he said, “at all those resale shops when we searched for Maddie’s accordion. And I bought at least three pairs of jeans, the biggest sizes I could find. Would that work?”
“We’ll have to cobble together what you have,” I said. “Sew them to fit around the bear’s body, and try to make it look natural. We’ll do the same with the shirt front, and that way we won’t have to deal with buttonholes. I hope it won’t look pieced together like a quilt.”
“Yeah—” Buster lunged suddenly and almost dragged Jay off, chasing another dog. Rosie wasn’t interested—a real miracle. Jay apologized multiple times when he returned. “Stay, for pity’s sake.” He hugged his dog, who still squirmed. “I won’t mind if it’s all pieced together. Anything to get it done on time. My mom and sister never learned to sew. Maddie said you learned, though. Did you take classes at some point?”
I nodded. “Remember how I bailed on Wood Shop back in high school? I took sewing instead that term. Turned out to be an easy A, since I could read a pattern and figure out the machine. Our industrial machines aren’t so easy, but I’ll manage. I’ll need exact measurements for this costume to work, though.”
“Yeah, I’ve got all that.”
“How about you bring the shirts and jeans tomorrow night,” I said. “We can sew Velcro on the edges and see how it all works.”
Jay rose to his feet. “Great. And then you can come out to the studio and help me fit them on the Jack Pine Bear.”
“That name does have a nice ring to it. Okay, and don’t forget to buy the Velcro. I doubt if any shops here would carry it, but I bet you can find it at a home improvement store. Try over in Ann Arbor or up in Brighton.”
“Thanks. I really appreciate this, Sasha.”
“By the way,” I said slowly, “did you happen to see anyone Saturday night? In the lot behind Fresh Grounds. When you drove Maddie home, I mean. Like a stranger, or Gina Lawson, maybe with someone?”
He looked puzzled. “No, I didn’t. After I dropped off your sister,
I went home to my apartment. North of here, so I didn’t go back toward the village.”
“I was just curious.” I smiled. “See you tomorrow.”
“Sure. Good night.”
“I hope you don’t mind how Maddie’s pushing us. Into being friends, I mean.”
“Not one bit. I hope we’ll be more than friends.”
Jay grinned and led Buster toward Mark Fox’s vet clinic, where his dust-coated truck sat on the street. My cheeks burned as I walked Rosie in the opposite direction. Maybe he didn’t mind my sister’s matchmaking, but it embarrassed me to no end. Flattered by his interest, I still hoped Jay wasn’t planning on rushing into a relationship. I had too much going on in my life.
I waved frantically at Ben Blake, who was locking up his drugstore. “Hey, wait! Got a question for you,” I called out, and hurried to catch up to him. “How’s it going with Wendy, by the way? Will I see you two at the Oktobear Fest?”
Ben flashed his million-dollar smile. “Yeah, we’re helping staff the beer tent. Checking IDs and serving up pitchers, in costume. I am not looking forward to wearing lederhosen.”
“Aw, why not?” I couldn’t help laughing at his sour look. “Wendy will make a fetching barmaid in a dirndl and corset. Where are you getting your costumes?”
“Probably online. So what’s up?”
“Do you know if your sister-in-law was friends with Holly Parker? I saw them talking at our tea party. Poor woman looks ready to give birth any day.”
“Yeah, Lisa can’t wait. I think they used to hang out back in high school.” Ben scratched Rosie’s head and ears. She ate up the attention, licked his hand, and stretched on the ground so he could rub her belly. “My brother didn’t like Holly, though.”
“I don’t remember that.” I hadn’t paid that much attention to Holly or her friends, since I’d avoided her on purpose as much as possible. “I can’t remember a whole lot from high school. In fact, everything before my divorce is pretty fuzzy.”
He chuckled. “I get that. Mike thought Holly had too much influence on Lisa.”
