A Death at the Yoga Café

by MICHELLE KELLY,

“At home by myself. Duane came back with me for a bit after I argued with Gerald, then from about eight o’clock I was on my own. I was waiting for Gerald to call me and apologize, but he never did. Now I know why.” She looked down, her expression bereft, and Keeley got the feeling that she was indeed now playing on it.

  “So you’re saying it definitely wasn’t you that Tom claims to have seen leaving Gerald’s?”

  “No. I didn’t leave the house.”

  Keeley sighed, rubbing her hand across her forehead. It didn’t make sense. What other dark-haired woman would be leaving the mayor’s house late at night?

  “What happened to Edna?” She remembered the housekeeper. Raquel pulled a face.

  “That horrible old bat. Gerald persuaded her to take retirement. She wasn’t doing her job properly, she was too old to cope with the cleaning. And I found her snooping around in my drawers. Not that Gerald believed me, he said she was probably just getting confused. But I managed to convince him that keeping her on given her failing health was a cruelty. She didn’t take it very well,” Raquel said with an obvious relish that made Keeley shudder. As much as she herself disliked Gerald’s sourpuss of a housekeeper, she took no joy in the old woman’s dismissal, knowing that she had been devoted to the mayor.

  “Why, do you think it’s her?” Raquel said with a gleam in her eye. “I wouldn’t put it past her, you know.”

  “She’s quite old,” Keeley pointed out, “and I would imagine Gerald was a lot stronger than her.” Still—Keeley continued her musings silently—it didn’t take a huge amount of strength to stab someone, only the skill—or luck—to get the blade into the right place. “Besides, she was devoted to Gerald, I’m sure she wouldn’t kill him.”

  “She might, if she felt rejected.”

  Keeley nodded, taking a long drink of her tea, the taste pleasantly strong in her throat. She didn’t drink what the villagers termed “proper tea” very often, preferring herbal, so when she did it was always a treat. The occasional jolt of caffeine couldn’t hurt either.

  “I wonder if she would have been vindictive enough to set you up?” Keeley said. In the few dealings she had had with Edna, the woman had shown herself to be both spiteful and incredibly protective of Gerald. That sort of possessiveness could easily turn into hate. “I mean, if she thought it had been you who had influenced Gerald’s decision to let her go, maybe she was trying to get revenge on both of you?”

  Raquel nodded, a smile on her lips.

  “That makes perfect sense, Keeley. See, I knew I was right to come to you!”

  Keeley shook her head. She was getting ahead of herself.

  “Raquel, we don’t have a lot to go on. I don’t even know all the details—the murder weapon, the exact way he died—so anything we think of is just pure speculation.”

  “But you’re not going to let me go to prison for a crime I didn’t commit. You’re going to help me, aren’t you?” Raquel’s eyes widened and her mouth formed a small “o.” Genuinely upset she might be, but Keeley knew a melodramatic expression when she saw one.

  “I’ll ask a few questions, see what I can find out,” Keeley said, trying not to feel gratified by the way Raquel’s eyes lit up with gratitude. After a childhood of Raquel’s particular brand of toxic friendship, she couldn’t deny there was a certain satisfaction to having the woman so genuinely ask for her help. “I very much doubt it’s going to come to that, Raquel,” she said in a sensible tone, as much for herself as Raquel. “If you’re telling the truth and you were nowhere near Gerald’s that night, then you’ve got nothing to worry about. There’s barely enough to charge you, never mind take you to court.” Keeley was tempted to tell her that Ben had said as much himself, but knew he would be furious if she divulged his forecasts to the suspect in question. Instead, she tried to reassure her. “I’m pretty certain of that; I’ve listened to Ben talk about his work enough. If you’re innocent, Raquel, then it will all come out.”

  “But people will still think it’s me,” Raquel pointed out. “Even if there’s not enough evidence to charge me, if the real killer isn’t caught, people will still always think it was me. I’ll be a pariah. Mummy and Daddy are barely speaking to me as it is; they’ve threatened to cut my allowance.”

  Keeley bit her lip to prevent making a comment on her surprise that a grown woman in her late twenties still got an allowance. This, she thought, was the real crux of the matter. It would be too out of character for Raquel to not be motivated by a good dollop of material self-interest.

  “I’ll do what I can, but you’re going to have to be completely honest with me,” she said. Raquel had a tendency to bend the truth to suit herself, and also wasn’t likely to want to reveal anything that might put her in a bad light. In the Terry Smith murder it had turned out Raquel was keeping secrets, all because she didn’t want the fact of her cosmetic surgery to be made public. Although Keeley didn’t think anyone could fail to realize that Raquel’s gravity-defying assets were less than natural.

  She didn’t trust Raquel, if she was going to be brutally honest, but she still couldn’t shake the conviction that the other woman hadn’t done this, and that was enough for her to want to help.

  Ben isn’t going to be happy, came the rational voice inside her head. Keeley sighed to herself. She would see Ben that night, and ask him about the possibility of investigating Edna. Maybe, she tried to convince herself, he would even be glad of some informal help. He had welcomed her input before. Surely, she rationalized, he couldn’t expect her to just ignore Raquel’s pleas?

  She turned her attention back to Raquel herself, who was looking decidedly shifty after Keeley’s comments about honesty.

  “Is there anything else you want to tell me?” she asked. “I can’t help you if I don’t know everything.”

  Raquel shrugged.

  “It’s probably nothing … but Edna isn’t the only person Gerald got rid of lately. Because of me,” she admitted, looking down at her hands.

  “Okay,” Keeley took another sip of her drink. “Tell me about that?”

  “You know he had his gardens done recently? The man he employed, John, used to come in here on his lunch break.” Raquel sniffed, obviously offended that the man in question had chosen to frequent the café rather than her own diner.

  Keeley thought back and nodded. She remembered the man, a swarthy, rugged-looking guy in his early forties who hadn’t spoken much, and had surprised Keeley by ordering herbal tea and tofu burgers every day. He had seemed pleasant enough, if somewhat reticent.

  “I remember him. Why did you get him sacked?”

  Raquel shifted in her seat, looking uncomfortable. She didn’t meet Keeley’s eyes when she spoke.

  “He was rather inappropriate with me. Tried it on, you know?”

  Keeley looked at her. The almost informal way Raquel had said that, coupled with the other woman’s inability to meet her gaze, told Keeley a different story. She thought back to what she remembered of the gardener. John hadn’t spoken much, but when he had he had mentioned a wife and young baby, and his face had lit up as he had done so. Had he really made advances on Raquel? Or would it be more likely that it had been Raquel, and he had turned her down? Keeley had no doubts that the woman was vindictive enough to then lie to Gerald to get him sacked—a woman scorned and all that—but was that a motive for murder? It might be, if the man had a new baby to support and Raquel’s lies had left him in dire straits.

  “But wouldn’t he be more likely to be angry with you than Gerald?” Keeley asked, thinking aloud. Raquel looked shocked.

  “I could be next!” she exclaimed. Keeley fought the urge to roll her eyes. After all, if someone was crazy enough to commit one murder, who could say it would indeed stop there?

  “I’ll talk to him. He left me a card, I’m sure I’ve still got it somewhere. Did you tell Ben about this?”

  Raquel shook her head, flushing slightly, and Keeley thought that if her suspicions about the real story of John the
gardener were correct, then of course Raquel wouldn’t mention it to Ben, possibly the only other man in Belfrey to ever turn her down. Raquel was attractive, and her ego knew few bounds. A man with the sense to not succumb to her obvious charms would be anathema to her.

  Keeley sighed. She knew she should really tell Raquel to tell Ben this information, just as she knew that Raquel would probably do anything but. She was going to help her; she could question John and Edna at least, and if she found out anything useful she would pass it on to the police. Ben could hardly complain about that. It wasn’t her fault if people chose to confide in her, she thought mutinously.

  Raquel left after giving Keeley a Chanel-scented hug, promising to call her if she thought of anything else. Keeley watched her go, feeling strangely excited about the possibility of investigating again. Only as she was clearing up did the reality of the situation hit her. If Raquel was, as Keeley believed, truly innocent, then there was another murderer still running free around Belfrey. Someone capable of stabbing the mayor to death in apparent cold blood. The gardener seemed to have a motive, but it had been a few months since he had done Gerald’s gardens. Although Edna struck her as more than capable, it seemed too surreal that it could be the elderly housekeeper. But if not them, then who? As Keeley looked out of the window at the picturesque Belfrey High Street she wondered, and not for the first time since her return, just what secrets were lurking behind its closed doors.

  MARICHYASANA—SEATED TWIST

  A pose named after the sage Marichi, more commonly known as Seated Twist. A gentle spinal twist that is good for digestion, flexibility of the spine, and gentle toning of the abdomen and torso. A good pose to practice if you have been sitting at a desk all day.

  Method

  • Sit on your mat with your legs straight out in front of you and your spine tall, looking ahead. Your arms should be straight, with your hands palm down on the mat behind you, fingers facing away.

  • Bend your right knee, pulling your foot in as close to your buttock as you can, keeping your foot flat on the floor.

  • Exhale and turn your torso to the right, toward your bended knee. Inhale and bring up your left arm, bent at the elbow, and place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee, your forearm vertical.

  • With each inhale, focus on lengthening and stretching your spine and twisting your torso around to the right. Do not strain; this should be a very gentle pose. After at least one minute, exhale and release, and repeat on the other side.

  Benefits

  Relieves digestive problems such as constipation. May be useful for lower backaches and menstrual cramps. Stretches the shoulders and boosts energy.

  Contraindications

  This pose isn’t advisable for those suffering from migraines, insomnia, or diarrhea, or those with high or low blood pressure.

  Chapter Six

  Dinner began, to say the least, a little strained. Darla had returned from Matlock in a sour mood, having got caught in a sudden downpour and then been reacquainted with the haphazardness of the public transport system in Amber Valley—namely, if you got a bus within an hour of its scheduled time, you were lucky. Nevertheless Darla had seemed keen to go for dinner with Ben and Keeley, but then proceeded to moan about everything from the decor of the Wheatsheaf to the limitations of its menu.

  “Mum, this isn’t London,” Keeley reminded her.

  “I can see that, dear. Honestly, I had forgotten how backwards this place could be,” her mother said, shooting a nasty look at the waitress who was belatedly clearing their table. The poor girl flushed, mumbled an apology, and hurried away. Keeley shot a glance at Ben, who was carefully expressionless, though she saw the flash of amusement in his eyes as he met her gaze. Keeley felt herself relax. Ben could handle her mother’s sniping, she was sure. She felt him reach for her hand and squeeze it under the table and gave him a grateful smile.

  Then she remembered Raquel.

  After they had placed their orders, Darla finally settling for a salmon salad, Keeley saw her chance when her mother went outside for a cigarette, grumbling about the smoking ban.

  “Raquel came into the café today. She really is very upset.”

  Ben’s expression was instantly wary.

  “I hope you’re not discussing the case with her, Keeley. She’s the prime suspect at the minute.”

  Keeley decided not to mention that Raquel had all but begged her for help.

  “I know she is, but I still find it hard to believe she did it. I’m sure she’s really grieving for him.” And her allowance, she couldn’t help but add to herself. Ben snorted with skepticism, reading her mind.

  “She’s more likely to be worried about embarrassing Mummy and Daddy and having her generous allowance cut off. I’m surprised you’re so interested, Keeley; she’s hardly been the friendliest of folks towards you.”

  Keeley thought about that. She really didn’t owe Raquel anything. Yet her innate sense of justice wouldn’t let her sit by and watch an innocent woman be wrongly accused.

  “I just feel, in my gut, that it wasn’t her. I can’t really explain why; intuition perhaps.”

  Ben grinned.

  “You sound like bloody Megan, with all her batty goings-on about energies and aurals.”

  “Auras,” Keeley corrected, smiling back. Although she wanted to reprimand him for calling Megan batty, she was glad the atmosphere between them had lightened again.

  Perhaps now would be a good time to mention her decision to help Raquel. Maybe she could start with asking him about Edna.

  “Speaking of auras, that housekeeper of Gerald’s came across as quite a nasty woman. I suppose you’ve questioned her already?”

  Ben’s smile vanished.

  “You’re doing it again.”

  “Doing what?” Keeley was genuinely baffled.

  “Trying to get information out of me. Do you not trust me to do my job properly, Keeley? It’s bad enough having the senior officers at Ripley breathing down my neck without you questioning me as well.” He sounded both hurt and annoyed.

  “Of course I do. I think you’re wonderful at your job,” Keeley said with sincerity. “I was just curious. I really don’t think Raquel did it, so I just wondered about Edna, that’s all. From what I know of her she’s a pretty nasty piece of work.” Keeley bit her lip, aware she wasn’t being entirely honest, but realizing that Ben was going to be far from happy about her involvement.

  “She’s got to be nearly seventy, Keeley; she’s hardly in the frame for this. Now can we please stop talking about work?”

  Keeley nodded, swallowing down the retort that Ben was perfectly happy to talk about work when it suited him. The atmosphere felt awkward between them again and she reached for his hand, but then saw Darla returning and thought better of it. She hoped her mother wouldn’t notice that there was anything wrong. The last thing she needed was Darla waxing forth on their relationship.

  Fortunately Darla had other things on her mind. She sat down with an impatient sigh, patting her hair frantically.

  “This rain just keeps ruining my blow-dry. Honestly, I had forgotten how awful the weather can be up here. It changes every minute.”

  “Your hair looks wonderful, Darla,” Ben said smoothly. Darla gave him a small smile.

  “Thank you, dear. But really, I will be glad indeed to get back to London. There weren’t even smoker’s shelters outside here; I had to stand in the rain.”

  “We should have gone to the Tavern,” Ben said with a quick wink at Keeley, “they don’t care so much about the smoking ban in there; they’ve still got ash trays on the table.”

  Darla wrinkled her elegant nose.

  “I wouldn’t be seen dead in that place.”

  “It’s true,” Keeley said, “I always see Jack Tibbons in there puffing away on his pipe.”

  “Speak of the devil,” Ben murmured. Keeley looked up, surprised to see Jack, for once minus Bambi, entering the doors of the Wheatsheaf. She
was even more surprised when her mother raised her arm and waved for his attention.

  “Jack! Over here,” Darla called. Jack’s creased face broke into a smile when he saw them, and he made his way over to the table.

  “Mind if I join you? I was just on my way back from the Pooch Parlor, thought it was high time Bambi had a trim. The old fellow’s looking a bit scraggy.”

  “I don’t know how you can take that mutt everywhere,” Darla said, though there was a lack of the usual disdain in her tone as she moved over to let Jack sit down.

  Dinner progressed quite pleasantly with Jack regaling them with stories of Belfrey when Keeley had been a child and her father the local butcher. Keeley loved hearing about her father, and even Darla’s eyes lit up when she talked about her late husband. Keeley felt a rare flush of affection for her mother then. Ben seemed to relax, and by the end of the evening she was nestled into him as they sipped on their after-dinner coffees.

  She was disappointed when he insisted on dropping them both off afterward. She had assumed she would be going back to Ben’s, if not for the night then at least for a few hours of alone time, but Ben said he was tired and had an early start the next morning.

  “It must be very draining, this awful business with Gerald,” Darla said as she went into the café, Ben having walked them to the door. She air-kissed Ben’s cheek then disappeared up the stairs, leaving Ben and Keeley alone. Keeley turned to Ben and wound her arms around his neck, breathing in the familiar yet exciting smell of him.

  Then she stepped away as Ben remained rigid in her arms, feeling a flicker of insecurity.

  “What’s wrong? And don’t say ‘nothing,’” she said hurriedly, seeing a stoic expression come over him. Ben sighed at that and rubbed his hand over his chin, a sure gesture that he was both overwhelmed and frustrated.

  “Keeley, please promise me you’ll stop talking to Raquel about the murder. Or anyone else.”

  Keeley winced. This wasn’t going to be the right time to tell him about her decision to find out what she could for Raquel.

  “That’s daft,” she said bluntly. “The murder is all that anyone is talking about, Ben. It’s difficult to avoid, especially when I run a local business.”