Death by Auction

by Alexis Morgan

  As soon as the meeting broke up, those involved in the decorating moved to another table in the corner to get organized. Abby picked up her files, planning to head back home, only to realize the pastor was waiting to speak to her. At least he’d brought both of them a fresh cup of coffee. “Was there something else we needed to discuss?”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going to bring up the subject of you heading up my church’s fund drive again.” His eyes twinkled just a little as he added, “Until after the dance is over, anyway.”

  She was sure he was only teasing about the whole idea. Mostly, anyway. “That’s very considerate of you.”

  His expression turned more sober. “Seriously, I wanted to touch base with you to see how you’re holding up after what happened at the auction. You handled everything so well that night, but the effects of something like that have a habit of popping back up when we least expect it. If you find yourself needing someone to talk to, twenty-four/seven, you know you can call me.”

  The sympathy in his voice was almost her undoing. “I really appreciate the offer, Jack. While I won’t say it’s been easy, I’m doing okay. I’ve been keeping busy, which helps.”

  Jack didn’t look as if he quite believed her, but he didn’t push it. Instead, he asked, “And how about Tripp? From what I’ve heard, his ex-wife’s reappearance in his life came as a bit of a shock to him, and now she’s been arrested. I’m betting that’s got him wound up pretty tight.”

  She debated how much to say. Tripp and the pastor were friends, but that didn’t mean he’d appreciate her confessing everything to Jack. For sure, she wasn’t going to admit that the two of them had been doing a bit of sleuthing themselves.

  “He’s understandably worried about Valerie. They might not have remained close since the divorce, but he’s doing whatever he can to help her. In fact, he went to her bail hearing today. If everything goes well, he’ll bring her back to stay at my house until her case is resolved one way or the other.”

  Jack always saw more than other people did. “You seem to have some doubt that she’ll make bail. Is it because of money issues or something else?”

  Having such mixed feelings about the whole situation made it hard for her to answer. “I have no idea what kind of bail the D.A. will recommend or anything. But since she lives out of state, I’m worried they’ll want to hold her until the trial. I can’t imagine how Tripp will react to that.”

  “Yeah, I can see why that would bother him.” Jack stirred his coffee. “I take it you don’t think she did it.”

  Although it wasn’t really a question, she responded anyway. “I think there’s a lot of room for doubt. I never met Bryce Cadigan before that night, and I certainly have no complaints about how he handled the auction itself. Having said that, if I could go back in time, I would never have hired him. It’s not nice to speak ill of the dead, but I’ve learned a lot about him since the auction that makes it clear he wasn’t a very nice man.”

  Jack patted her hand. “I’ve heard a few things myself. Don’t blame yourself for how things turned out, Abby. We did our due diligence before we offered him the job, and he did come highly recommended.”

  That much was true. “Yes, he did. I have to think that the reason behind what happened to him had its roots somewhere in his past here in Snowberry Creek. I’m sure Gage and Detective Earle are both checking into stuff like that.”

  “That doesn’t mean it’s easy to sit by and wait for them to figure it all out. For you or for Tripp.”

  He was right about that. “Yeah, it’s been hard, especially on him. I’m betting some of the local folks were relieved to learn that Valerie was arrested. They might not appreciate it if the cops keep asking questions that might lead back to someone here in Snowberry Creek. Far better to blame a stranger whenever something goes wrong.”

  The pastor sighed. “Sadly, that’s true. I won’t mention any names, but a new visitor to my church mentioned that very subject just yesterday. She said she left her previous congregation because of how judgmental they’d become.”

  He checked his watch and set his coffee back down on the table. “Well, I should be going. I have another meeting to get to. I meant what I said, Abby. If there’s anything I can do to help either you or Tripp, let me know.”

  “I will. On another subject, I’m expecting a couple of invoices to arrive in the mail either today or tomorrow. When they come, I’ll drop them by the church if that’s okay.”

  “That’ll be fine. I’ll approve them and pass them along to the treasurer to pay.”

  She walked outside with Jack. It was time to head home and find out if her houseguest was back.

  As it turned out, Tripp had come back home alone. According to Valerie’s attorney, there was a chance she would be able to post bail, but it would be at least tomorrow before they found out for sure. Tripp wasn’t happy, but all Abby could do was remind him that it was only a matter of time.

  After filling her in on what happened, he’d taken his bad mood back over to his place and slammed the door shut behind him. She was pretty sure he’d been mumbling something about needing to go to class. Although Zeke had been following Tripp, he either didn’t notice or didn’t want company. The dog had stared at Tripp’s door for several minutes before giving up and returning to her side. On the way back to her own house, she pondered what she could do to help Tripp but didn’t come up with anything. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt for the two of them to spend a little time apart.

  * * *

  The next morning, the invoices she’d been waiting for arrived, which gave her the perfect excuse to leave for a while. After picking up her dry cleaning, she would stop at the church to drop off the paperwork with Pastor Jack and then take Zeke for a walk at the park.

  Grabbing Zeke’s leash, she called him to come. “Come on, boy. We’ll go see Pastor Jack and then stop by Something’s Brewing to grab us a couple of snacks and a latte. After that, we’ll hang out in the park for a while and then go for a walk in the national forest. That sounds like fun, doesn’t it?”

  Zeke came running at the mention of several of his favorite words—snacks, park, and walk. As soon as she opened the back door, he bolted outside and made a beeline for the car. Before he got there, though, Tripp stepped out on his porch. Zeke immediately veered off in his direction, his tongue hanging out and his tail wagging a mile a minute. It was as if he hadn’t seen his friend in days.

  As soon as he reached Tripp, he skidded to a halt and then jumped up to put his front paws on Tripp’s chest, putting his head at his buddy’s eye level. The impact forced Tripp back a step, but then he managed to hold his ground.

  “You’re sure excited, Zeke. I see you’re wearing your leash, so you must be taking Abby somewhere fun.” As he spoke, he ran his fingers through Zeke’s fur and put up with a couple of slobbery licks on his face. Abby finally caught up with her exuberant pet and grabbed his leash. She gave it a sharp tug, dragging the dog back down to stand on all fours.

  “That’s enough, Zeke. Tripp doesn’t need doggy kisses making his face all sticky.”

  Tripp grinned. “Don’t worry. Doggy love washes off.”

  “Yeah, but you can’t say that about those paw prints he just put on your shirt.”

  Tripp glanced down and then frowned at the dog. “I swear, Zeke, you always manage to do that at the worst times. I got all the way to class last week without realizing I had muddy prints on both my shirt and pants.”

  He made a halfhearted effort to brush the dirt off his shirt. “I told him he was a dead dog if he did this to me again.”

  Cute. “Sorry, Tripp. He got away before I could grab his leash. It’s my fault he’s so excited. I promised him a treat from Bridey’s place, a trip to the park, and then a walk in the woods.”

  He patted Zeke’s broad back. “Wow, the trifecta of his favorite things.”

  “How about you? Any more word on what’s going on with Valerie’s case?”

  “The attorney i
s supposed to call as soon he knows anything. I’m hoping it’s soon. I’d like to pick her up and get back here before rush hour. This standing around and waiting for word drives me crazy.” He shuffled his feet and added, “Sorry if I was kind of a jerk yesterday.”

  “That’s okay. I know you’re worried about Valerie. You’d be welcome to ride along with me and Zeke. If the lawyer calls while we’re out, I can drive you back here to get your truck quickly enough.”

  “That sounds good, actually. Let me lock up and I’ll—”

  He stopped midsentence and pulled out his cell phone. “Oops, give me a second, Abby. It’s Val’s attorney.”

  The call didn’t last long, and Tripp looked a lot happier by the time he hung up. “I’ll have to take a rain check, Abby. They’re finalizing the paperwork now. In theory she should be ready to go about the time I get there.”

  When he headed straight for his truck, Abby called after him, “Doggy prints, Tripp.”

  “Right. Thanks for the reminder.”

  He did an immediate about-face and headed back into his house. Zeke tried to follow him, but she headed him off at the pass. “Come on, dog. We’ve got places to go and treats to eat.”

  * * *

  After a quick stop at the dry cleaners to pick up her dress for the dance, it was a short drive to the church. Rather than leave her furry friend in the car while she ran inside, she clipped on Zeke’s leash and took him with her. Jack wouldn’t mind, and it wasn’t as if they would be there for more than a couple of minutes.

  That had been the plan anyway, but unfortunately the door to his office was closed, and the church secretary was nowhere to be seen. Abby could hear the muffled sound of voices, so clearly Jack was with someone. At least there was a small sign on the counter that said the secretary would be back in another fifteen minutes.

  “Zeke, looks like we’re going to hang out here for a while. I’d rather wait a few minutes now than make a second trip.”

  She settled into one of the two visitor chairs by the window. Meanwhile, Zeke sighed and sat on the floor next to her and rested his head in her lap. She stroked his wrinkly forehead and thanked him for his patience. While they waited, she found herself trying without success to figure out what else she and Tripp could do to help clear Valerie’s name. They’d run out of viable suspects, so she really hoped Gage was having more luck than they were. The only person she still had questions about was Mrs. Alstead, but it was hard to picture the rather dowdy woman doing anything so horrible to a former student.

  The sound of Jack’s door opening startled her out of her reverie. She sat up straighter and prepared to let the pastor know she was there to see him. He stepped into sight still talking to the woman who walked out right behind him. “Thanks again for stopping by, Mrs. Alstead. As I said, I’m really sorry to hear that you’ll be leaving Snowberry Creek soon. If I can do anything to help, let me know.”

  Meanwhile, Abby struggled to make sense of what she was seeing. If that really was Mrs. Alstead standing there, the former teacher had undergone an amazing transformation since the last time their paths had crossed. The drastic changes in her appearance had taken years off her appearance, and she looked far more like her old yearbook picture. Was she the person Jack mentioned had walked away from a more conservative church recently? It seemed likely, and Abby could only imagine what Mrs. Alstead’s friends there would have to say if they ever saw her sporting skinny jeans and blond highlights in her hair.

  As soon as Jack spotted her, he said, “Hi, Abby. I hope you haven’t been waiting long. I’ll be right with you.”

  Then he looked a bit chagrined as he turned his attention back to Mrs. Alstead. “I’m sorry, where are my manners? Abby, do you know Mrs. Alstead?”

  All things considered, she realized she didn’t know the woman at all. “Yes, we met a few days ago when she was kind enough to help me at the store where she works. I’m sure the manager there really appreciates how helpful she is.”

  From Mrs. Alstead’s response, that might have been laying it on a bit thick. It was even more surprising when she said, “That was actually my last day working there.”

  Abby wasn’t sure what to say to that. She could be wrong, but all the major changes in the woman’s life seemed suspicious to her. She somehow doubted the woman would welcome any questions on the subject, though.

  Meanwhile, Zeke, who had been curled up behind the front of the counter, picked that moment to make his presence known. He stood up and approached Jack, maybe hoping he had some doggy treats. Luckily, the dog froze in place when Mrs. Alstead gasped and quickly retreated back into Jack’s office.

  “Get that animal away from me!”

  Abby hauled back on Zeke’s leash. He gave her a reproachful look but dutifully returned to her side. “I’m sorry he startled you, Mrs. Alstead. I promise Zeke’s a gentle giant.”

  Her claim might have been more believable if the dog apparently hadn’t taken a delayed dislike to the woman. While he didn’t growl—much anyway—he stood at attention and watched Mrs. Alstead’s every move as if he expected her to go on the attack any second.

  Looking confused, Jack quickly stepped in between his guest and Zeke. “Why don’t I walk you out, Mrs. Alstead? Abby, I’ll be right back.”

  Then he walked out of the office right behind the other woman, leaving Abby staring at the empty doorway.

  * * *

  By the time Jack returned, both the church secretary and Jack’s next appointment had arrived. With any chance of quizzing the pastor about Mrs. Alstead’s future plans gone, Abby apologized for Zeke’s questionable behavior and handed over the invoices before beating a hasty retreat.

  To her surprise, Robin Alstead hadn’t actually gone far. Instead, she stood watching the front of the church from the far edge of the parking lot. It was too much to be hoped that she was waiting for Pastor Jack or maybe her ride. But no, she went on point the minute Abby stepped out of the church.

  “Come on, Zeke. Let’s see if we can reach the car before that woman catches up with us.” He dutifully broke into a slow trot, dragging Abby along in his wake. She’d just managed to let him into the back seat and close the door before Mrs. Alstead planted herself behind Abby’s car. Short of running her over, there was no way to avoid hearing whatever the woman had to say.

  “Was there something you needed, Mrs. Alstead?”

  “Yes, I need you to stop spreading rumors about me.”

  “I haven’t been.” Not really. She’d just told Gage about the woman’s behavior the night of the auction.

  “You’ve been talking to the police. I know that for a fact since they came to my house to grill me about the night Bryce was killed.”

  Feeling seriously defensive now, Abby sputtered, “I wouldn’t take it personally. They’re talking to everyone who spoke to Mr. Cadigan that night.”

  The woman drew herself up to her full height. “Of course I take it personally. We both know they’ve already arrested the woman who poisoned poor Bryce. She came all the way from California just to kill him with that lethal cocktail of drugs she had tucked into that fancy silver purse she was flashing all over the place at the auction.”

  She took a step closer to Abby. “Valerie Brunn is a cold-blooded killer, but I don’t expect you to believe me since she’s friends with both you and that man you live with. Not only that, I’ve learned you’re both good buddies of Chief Logan. It’s no surprise he’s trying so hard to find someone else to take the blame. Well, that’s not going to happen, not if I can help it.”

  How many people had Robin Alstead just insulted? Abby didn’t even know where to begin to straighten out that much wrong thinking. Still, she gave it her best try.

  “First of all, Valerie Brunn is not my friend, although she is Tripp’s ex-wife. Second, he doesn’t live with me. He rented the house behind mine from my late aunt, so he was already living there before I ever moved to Snowberry Creek. That makes him my tenant, not whatever you were t
rying to imply. And finally, if you actually knew Gage Logan at all, you’d never accuse him of being anything but an honorable man. He won’t be satisfied until he finds the truth.”

  Forcing herself to take a deep breath, Abby walked away. She opened her car door and glanced back at the still-fuming woman. Mrs. Alstead’s body was rigid with pure rage as she snarled, “You’re right, Ms. McCree. The truth will come out. Eventually the cops will find the evidence, and that woman will pay for Bryce’s death. She’ll rot in that jail cell for the rest of her life.”

  Abby was so done with this conversation. “Actually, she’s getting out on bail even as we speak. Now, I would suggest you move out of the way. Zeke and I have somewhere we need to be.”

  Thank goodness by the time she was inside the car with the engine running, Mrs. Alstead had already stalked away so Abby could leave. She waited until she was several blocks away to pull over to the side of the road and sat there until her hands stopped shaking. Putting the car back in gear, she glanced at Zeke in the rearview mirror. “That is one scary woman, Zeke. The trouble is I think I’m the only one who knows that.”

  He woofed in sympathy, which made her feel a little better. “We’re not going to let her spoil the rest of our afternoon. Let’s go see Bridey and then stop at the park.”

  That earned her a sloppy kiss, but at least she was smiling again.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  After getting their treats at Something’s Brewing, Abby and Zeke spent some quality time lazing in the sun at one of the picnic tables at the park before taking their walk along the river. It had taken her a while to shake off the tension from her unexpected confrontation with Robin Alstead, but Zeke’s undemanding company helped a lot. Her improved mood lasted right up until she turned onto her street and spotted Tripp’s truck pulling into the driveway.