Bear Witness to Murder

by Meg Macy

  I wanted to console him, but couldn’t find the words. Holly Parker had not wanted to die. She did care. Maybe she would have changed her ways, given a choice. A chance to redeem herself and set things right. Kip had been wrong to take that chance away.

  I’d been wrong, too. Holly had not killed Gina. Three lives had been lost, one the victim of a simple mistake. “Kip should have gotten psychological help,” I said, “but he made a choice. The wrong choice, but he wouldn’t listen.”

  Vigilante justice, while a common plot in films, was not realistic in life. It only caused more suffering, more pain than Kip would ever realize. Than anyone really understood. And he’d hurt Maddie, too, despite his belief that he was saving her career and our family business. My sister would grieve his death. Probably blame herself, to some degree.

  “I need to find Maddie. Tell her what happened.”

  Instead I stared at the smoking ruin of the former Holly Jolly Christmas shop. What a shame that all those wonderful Alice in Wonderland collectibles had also perished. The Italianate structure was a burnt and blackened shell.

  Uncle Ross and Aunt Eve appeared out of the smoky darkness. “Sasha, you’re okay!” My aunt rushed up the porch steps. “We were so worried.”

  “Where’s Maddie?”

  “With Matt and Elle. She’s helping them get the kids home. Maddie tried calling you, over and over again.”

  “My phone’s in there.”

  I waved toward the ruined building. Took a few swigs from the water while Jay explained what happened. Red lights continued to flash around, making me dizzy, but I managed to add details until the whole story came out. By the time my parents arrived, Jay repeated it all for their benefit. Mom shooed everyone inside the house and started brewing coffee and tea, while Aunt Eve took Rosie out to the yard. My dog quickly returned and crept into my lap. Dad shook hands with Jay and then eyed me in concern.

  “Are you okay, honey? Kip didn’t hurt you?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “You don’t sound fine,” Uncle Ross grumbled, but shut up at Aunt Eve’s strict look. “They found Celia asleep behind that big speaker on the courthouse steps. The band didn’t realize she’d gotten past them. Too busy playing their music, I guess.”

  “How could she sleep through all that noise?” Jay asked.

  “She’s four,” I said. “That’s why.”

  “A tired child can sleep through anything,” Mom said. Somehow she managed to hug me and Rosie both. “How you ever get yourself into these situations, I’ll never know.”

  I let her fuss over me and sipped the honey and lemon tea she’d made. By the time I’d finished, Maddie rushed into the house. Her dirndl was streaked with dirt, and her extension braids hung loose by their clips. She pushed them aside.

  “Sasha, are you okay? Is it true? About Holly—”

  “I’ll explain,” Dad said, and led her off to the comfortable armchairs in the next room. Jay and I followed. I carried Rosie with me and perched on the chair’s arm, anxious about how Maddie would take the news.

  “Oh, man. Kip really freaked out,” she said, clearly dazed. “No wonder he sounded so crazy last night. He left a string of phone messages, promising he’d help us get free of Holly. But I had no idea what he meant.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I wish—”

  “It didn’t have to end like that? Yeah, I understand.”

  “Excuse me, you all have a visitor,” Aunt Eve interrupted. She stepped aside. Detective Mason walked into the room, his face grimy with soot.

  “Sorry to hear what happened, with the fire.” He met my gaze and then glanced at his Moleskine notebook. “I heard part of the story from Officer Hillerman. I’d like to hear the whole thing from you, Sasha. Start with why you went to Ms. Parker’s shop.”

  “To search for Celia Cooper.” I took a sip of water from the bottle Jay handed me. With his help, I recited the events. Maddie kept silent, biting her lip whenever I had to mention Kip’s name, and twisted her hands in her lap. “I never expected to find Kip there,” I said. “Or that he’d be so determined to kill Holly.”

  “I’m sorry that other case took most of my time,” Mason said. “And I should have taken into account what you said about Holly Parker.”

  I sighed. “So case closed.”

  “And Mayor Bloom is also off the hook,” Mom said.

  “Officer Sykes regrets not reporting his knife as lost or stolen. You’re right, by the way, about his brother Larry,” Mason added. “He knows all the stats of every Detroit Tigers player from 1905, when Ty Cobb began playing for them.”

  “But he didn’t touch his brother’s knife,” I said.

  “No, but he told me who did take it.” Mason flipped back in his notebook. “Larry saw Kip hiding it in his gear. My fault, because I didn’t ask him the right question until last night when I saw him at the festival. I didn’t have time to hunt O’Sullivan down today, either. By the way, I brought something.”

  Mason drew out something furry from inside his jacket. “Minky Bear,” I said with a smile, and accepted it. “Here you go, Mom. It’s your teddy bear.”

  “Thank you so much, Detective,” my mother said, but patted my shoulder. “I want you to keep it now, Sasha. With Dad’s old bear. They belong together.”

  “I’m surprised you’re releasing it so soon,” Dad said. “Figured it would take a while for all the paperwork to get processed. Having to file your reports, the interviews, the vandalism, and arson documentation.”

  “Technically, I hadn’t processed the box from Holly’s shop as evidence yet,” Mason said. “It sat on my desk all this time. If you want that bird carving, Kirby—”

  “Yes,” I said. “For his sister.”

  Startled by a loud commotion from the kitchen, I rose to my feet. Mason pocketed his notebook and followed Jay, who followed me into the other room. The grand prize bear in its lederhosen and feathered felt hat filled the doorway. Flynn Hanson peeked around it, since he’d bumped the bear into the ironwork baker’s cart while trying to bring it inside. Several heavy cookbooks fell to the floor with a loud thud.

  “Hey, watch out,” Uncle Ross growled. “What are you doing with that?”

  “You won the dance contest,” Flynn announced, but my uncle protested.

  “No, no. We can’t win—”

  “Oh, Ross! Yes, we can.” Aunt Eve clapped in delight. “We’ll donate it to the women’s shelter. All the kids there will love playing with that bear.”

  “Cheryl had to cancel our plans, so I stepped in as a dance contest judge when Sasha and Jay took off,” my ex said. “The Viennese waltz came in first, and then I saw your names on the grading sheet. You won, fair and square, so what do you want me to do with it?”

  “Take it to the factory for now, Ross,” Mom said, “and you can deliver it next week.”

  “We’ll donate a dozen small bears to go with it,” I added, and Maddie agreed. “That way the kids at the shelter will have their own to take, whenever their moms find a new home.”

  “Great idea. Don’t you think so, Ross?” Aunt Eve smiled at his sour look and poked him in the stomach. “I know you do.”

  “I saw the fire from the courthouse,” Flynn said. He rested an arm on the giant bear’s head and grinned at us all. “So. What did I miss?”

  Unbelievable. I lobbed Minky Bear at his head.

  Chapter 27

  Ding dong. “Trick or treat!” Muffled laughter and giggles wafted through the door. The kids rang the bell again.

  “Coming!” Daylight hadn’t yet faded, but the clock showed six-fifteen. I handed every child a small packet of gummy bears plus a chocolate bar. “Happy Halloween!”

  “Aww, look at the dog,” they said, and pointed at Rosie.

  “Count Dog-ula.” I crouched down to hug Rosie, who barked. She looked adorable in her black silk cape with its red lining. The collar stood up around her ears and head. “Watch out for all the ghosts at the tea room down t
he street. They’re scary.”

  “We will!”

  The kids clattered down the porch and raced on their way. I carried my zero gravity chair down the steps and set it up on the sidewalk. Then I retrieved the two huge bowls of candy, the bag of extra treats in case I ran out, and Rosie on her leash. For the last night of October, the warm temperatures held and I could sit outside for a better view of the kids and their costumes. A hint of smoke from the fire that had burned down the corner shop, now razed to the ground, lingered in the air. Only a pile of rubble remained.

  The owner of Flambé planned to buy the lot, as long as the Davisons agreed on a decent price, and build a new restaurant facing Kermit Street. I’d already heard rumors of a modern structure of glass and steel, but I figured Mayor Bloom would persuade them otherwise. It had to blend in with Silver Hollow’s quaint architectural style, and if the village didn’t already have an ordinance spelling it out, they’d vote on that soon and make it retroactive.

  Rosie whined, so I lifted her onto my lap and swung my feet up. “No, you can’t have any gummy bears. But here’s a peanut butter treat. Good girl.”

  I opened a chocolate bar. Indulged, while the next batch of kids raced in my direction. “One per customer,” I said with a laugh. “Yes, you can take an extra for your little sister.”

  Maddie had watched the shop for me earlier this afternoon. After meeting Jay for a midafternoon burger, I’d toured his studio and marveled at all the gorgeous carvings. Bear cubs, mama bears, grizzlies, and even teddy bears. My favorite was a small bear lying down, an open book in front of him, with glasses perched on his nose. Jay had finished our new Silver Bear Shop & Factory sign, but wouldn’t allow me to peek under the canvas tarp. His dad would be delivering it in a few days, once the sealer dried.

  Then I’d helped him finish packing. We took time for a proper good-bye, and after promising to spend Christmas together, I watched his truck drive north. I missed him already. But Jay needed to take every opportunity to enhance his résumé and portfolio.

  “Trick or treat, smell my feet—”

  “Give me something good to eat,” I finished, and tossed treats into their bags before watching them run off into the growing twilight. “Maybe I’ll make a batch of spiders.”

  “Ooh, with the chow mein noodles, chocolate chips, and peanut butter. Yum!” Maddie said, dragging a chair from the porch. She plopped down. “I love those. So, what do you think about the empty restaurant? All those floor-to-ceiling windows. Hmm.”

  “Hey! Your new design studio—what a great idea.” I sat up, dislodging Rosie, who curled up on the ground instead beside my chair. “I thought you wanted to be in the village.”

  “Now that Mom and Dad are buying a condo, I won’t mind sticking closer to the shop.” She looked a little shamefaced. “I really didn’t want Mom popping in every day, looking over my shoulder. She’ll be busy decorating their new place.”

  “Are you sure? We haven’t had a chance to talk about much.”

  “You had enough on your plate all month,” Maddie cut in. “Now we can both sit back. Relax. At least for tonight.”

  “Until the holiday rush begins.” I held out a packet of gummy bears. “Happy Halloween, and a merry beary Christmas.”

  Photo: Amy Baker

  MEG MACY is an award-winning author and artist. Her first published book, Double Crossing, won the 2012 Spur Award for Best First Novel from Western Writers of America. Meg is also one-half of the writing team of D. E. Ireland, authors of the Eliza and Henry Higgins Mystery series—two of which have been Agatha Award finalists. Meg lives in Southeastern Michigan, the setting for her Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Cozy mysteries. Visit the author online at:

  megmacy.com

  Facebook.com/MegMacyAuthor/

  twitter.com/megmims

  pinterest.com/meg_macy